5 players who would receive Kobe style send off

Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant (C L) and Barcelona team captain Andrés Iniesta Luján (C R) pose with other members of the FC Barcelona football team before a training session at the StarHub Stadium in Carson, California, on July 20, 2015. Barcelona will play the LA Galaxy in an International Champions Cup match on July 21. AFP PHOTO/MARK RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) /

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BARCELONA, SPAIN – MARCH 16: Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates after he scores during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Barcelona and Arsenal FC at Camp Nou on March 16, 2016 in Barcelona,Spain. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images) /

2. Lionel Messi

Messi’s rise through Barcelona’s youth system has been remarkable, a talent that has been compared to his national equivalent, non other than Maradona. Messi brought an immediate skill set that remains unmatched in world football. His ability to keep the ball glued to his foot and not allowing any defender to beat him is something that has been rarely seen in this era of modern football.

Loyalty to one club has also been rare and Messi can say he’s been everything to Barca’s success in the 2000’s. He’s approaching 350 appearances for the Catalonian club and has scored 308 goals to date. His individual achievements are a long laundry list of greatness, but it’s also his leadership taking Barcelona to even higher success, if that’s even possible. All the while he’s led the Argentinian national team to multiple World Cups, including the final of the 2014 tournament.

Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players in the world that have captivated audiences anywhere he goes.

Next: 1. Andrea Pirlo

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