Lionel Messi's conviction: Is this the worst period in the Argentine's life?

Lionel Messi is not having the best of times on and off the field

Lionel Messi's 21-month sentence for tax fraud is sending shock-waves amidst the football community, and even in the global scheme of things is a news flash that cannot be ignored. Even though the likelihood of the Barcelona superstar actually having to spend time in prison remains very low, (Under Spanish law a prison sentence under two years can be served under probation for people with no previous criminal record), this has to undoubtedly be perceived as one of the lowest periods in the Argentine's life.

It's fairly tricky in situations like these to pass judgement immediately. It's possible that Messi is innocent of the serious accusations levelled against him, even though his lack of responsibility and accountability cannot be ignored. It's also possible that the 5 time World player of the year winning star was actually aware of the illegal activities that were being carried out on his behalf.

Speculating is not of much use at this point, in all likelihood, a whole series of further details and evidence will emerge and we'll be able to draw our conclusions. Messi will also probably appeal to the Supreme Court and still be in with a chance of having the conviction appealed and proving his innocence, but what we are really looking at is whether this will now be an irreparable stain on his glorious footballing legacy nonetheless.

Messi has always represented the very upper echelons in the conduct for professional footballers, always conducted himself with impeccable grace and flair. He's been a man of few words, has done his talking on the pitch and has displayed a consistency of brilliant play never before seen in the world.

Since the time he burst onto the scene with Barcelona, barring a few very short spells of bad form, he's been at his best and tormented defences consistently, racked up a tally of goals that has already shattered records for Barcelona and Argentina. Still only 29, the variety in his game allows him to be brilliant for quite a few years yet.

His conduct off the field has been admirable, and for as long as he's been in the public image he's been pretty much impeccable. Even though every other footballer seems to dive these days, you will very rarely (if ever) see Messi blatantly simulating an injury to con the referee, he usually gets on with the game, and off the top of my head I can only remember an instance in which he pushed Frank Lampard as an example of when he lost his cool on the pitch with an opponent. There might be other incidents of course also, but rare.

That's what made the serious allegations levelled against the Barcelona player more surprising. There was still a feeling that the case would pass though, and at the very least Messi himself would be absolved of blame. The case has been carrying on for some time though, and now that the verdict has arrived, it could hardly have come at a more fractured point of Messi's career.

It's important to consider that some of the best players of all time have been through worse though, Luis Ronaldo with his devastating and persistent injury issues, Maradona with his drug problems and eccentric behaviour, perhaps Zinedine Zidane in the aftermath of his headbutt on Materazzi, George Best with his drinking problems and early retirement, Marco Van Basten with his acute injury issues and having to retire so early on and so many more. But for the boy from Rosario, this will certainly ranks amongst the lowest periods of his life, if not the lowest.

Heartbreak while representing Argentina

He's been through heartbreak with the national team in 3 finals, most recently in the Copa America 2016 and his retirement declaration put fans in a frenzy and left them disappointed with his apparent giving up. He already had a lot to answer for to his fans, before the conviction and now fans the world over will be only more impatient to hear their beloved star defend himself at the very least. 

Messi will have to deal with the two biggest setbacks he's faced in his life at the same time, and try to emerge stronger, but it should also be remembered that this is the same 10-year-old boy who was told that he might not be able to play professionally because of his growth hormone deficiency, and it took an uncertain childhood and years of hard work and treatments to make his dreams come true. How he deals with his current challenges, will now tell us a lot more about his character and if he still has the indomitable spirit that got him to the pedestal that he's occupied for so long.

It might not be that simple now that he has serious legal and moral allegations to also explain, being in the public eye and an idol for so many youngsters in the world is never easy after all, but it's clear that everyone will expect Messi to have an answer, and a convincing one.