When Messi scored an impossible goal

May 30th, 2015. Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona face each other for the Copa del Rey final. Nearly 100.000 people in the stands are watching. It's 19:29 on the clock, they're both tied 0-0, and Messi received the ball a few meters ahead of the halfway line. We all know the rest, but let's analyze what's perhaps the best goal in the history of football.

Thanks to ESPN's works, we know the following: When he received the ball, he went from 0 MPH to 19.5 MPH in only 2.73 seconds, which is comparable with an American Football speedster, like Jamal Charles for example, all with the ball at his feet and close to him as well. He then deaccelerated and made 3 short touches to get rid of 2 Bilbao players in a matter of 1.2 seconds. After Mikel Rico unsuccessfully tried to mark him, Messi entered the box for the final part of the play.

There, he made an inside-out move to get rid of Laporte, and finally, he hit the ball from 14 yards out to the near post with his left foot, going at a velocity of 48 MPH. The ball missed the keeper's hand by less than 6 inches, and entered the net for the opener of the game. His margin of error for his lateral aim was 0.75 degrees, or 1.5 mm, which means he hit the perfect spot with a margin of error with a width of a blade of grass.

The play lasted 11.4 seconds and covered almost 60 yards, but even then, the ball was off Messi by 2+ feet only twice for a total of less than 2 seconds. 7 minutes after that goal, he created a big chance for Piqué, but he couldn't convert it. Later, he passed the ball for Rakitic, who gave it to Suárez who then assisted the goal to Neymar, and in the second half, and made his second goal in the second half. Barcelona ended up winning the final 3-1, and Messi was the MVP of the game. It was their 2nd trophy out of 5 that they won that year.

It was obviously nominated for the Puskás Award, but because Brazilian fans raided the fan votes, Wendell Lira won the award undeservedly. Still, the goal will be remembered for ages, and some even consider it the best goal of all times, the author fittingly being the Greatest of All Times.

Hopefully, something similar happens tomorrow. But until then, I'll see you in the next blog