People call Messi goat coz of his most successful period 2009-2012 where he won 4 Bdors But do u even know what was the reason behind Messi's success? Xavi Iniesta and the Spanish backbone of Barca's team. You can't really say that Xavi and Iniesta also needed Messi in Spain because during the same period where Messi won 4 Bdors, Xavi and Iniesta and all those Spaniards in Barca won the World Cup and also won 2 UEFA Euros. Whereas if you see what Messi did without Xavi and Iniesta and all the other Spaniards in Barca, he put up a disaster class in 2010 World Cup and Copa America 2011. That was during the most successful period of his career where he won 4 Bdors, yet he couldn't do anything without Xavi n Iniesta. Messi should be eternally grateful to Xavi and Iniesta for giving him a career. Xavi and Iniesta are the only reasons why Messi is considered in the same bracket as Ronaldo!