Lionel Messi: The 250-million-euro man

It's tough being Lionel Messi. For years he's been considered the best football player in the world. But no one is the best every day of their life. Not even Messi. Still, at a club like Barcelona, fans expect him to dominate every time he takes to the pitch.

In addition to the weight of expectations, the forward also has to deal with near constant public scrutiny, and Messi is anything but the stereotypical spotlight-hogging superstar. As a youth player at Barcelona he was given hormone therapy because he was so small. His nickname was even "La Pulga" - the flea. Despite his diminutive stature, the Argentinian has prevailed, winning three Champions League titles, six Spanish championships and two Spanish Cups with the Catalonian club.

The 250-million-euro man

Neither Barcelona nor Messi won any major titles last season, which could be one reason for the rumors currently circulating that he might be open to moving elsewhere. Apparently, the forward is not a fan of head coach Luis Enrique. Some journalists have been trying to read volumes into the fact that he recently followed English club Chelsea's Instagram account.

Would Messi actually leave the club he's been with since the age of 13? It seems beyond belief. The same could be said of the transfer fee that's been mooted for the superstar - a cool 250 million euros ($296 million).

Whether he's unhappy or not, his game hasn't been affected. As soon as Messi takes to the pitch, it's as if he forgets the awards and accolades, the expectations and scrutiny. Take the 65th minute of Argentina's match against Bosnia-Herzegovina at the World Cup last summer. Messi dribbled around a defender, passed the ball off, stormed up the pitch demanding the ball, and then rifled home a low shot from just outside the box. Argentina won the match 2-1. It was a typical goal from the player some consider the best ever.

Mission not yet accomplished

For all his ability, bookmakers have made Messi a longshot for the Ballon d'Or this year, behind favorite Cristiano Ronaldo and Manuel Neuer. This season, and last, he trailed Ronaldo in the goalscorers list in La Liga. And in Neuer, he met his master in the World Cup finals. Messi was named the best player of the tournament, but that didn't ease the pain of losing the final

"We deserved more," the Argetinian said after his country went down 1-0 to Germany. "It's very bitter to lose like this."

Messi knows that his resume can never be complete without winning football's ultimate prize. He's arguably already the greatest Argentinian player ever, having equalled Diego Maradona in terms of titles and skill. But the "Hand of God" won the World Cup, the one thing Messi has yet to do. It's a safe bet that he'd much rather hoist that trophy than another Ballon d'Or on Monday.