--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance…" description: "\"Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance in my life time. Never really saw Pele… Souness, Gullit, Venables and now Rooney agree Messi is the best they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/gary-lineker-2899_agree_fella-s-a-genius-best-ever-by-a-distance_23680.png" --- # Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance in my life time… ![“Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance in my life time. Never really saw Pele… Souness, Gullit, Venables and now Rooney agree Messi is the best they have seen. He plays a game with which we are not familiar.” quote by Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/gary-lineker-2899_agree_fella-s-a-genius-best-ever-by-a-distance_23680.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/gary-lineker-2899_agree_fella-s-a-genius-best-ever-by-a-distance_23680.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/gary-lineker-2899_agree_fella-s-a-genius-best-ever-by-a-distance_23680.png) > “Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance in my life time. Never really saw Pele… Souness, Gullit, Venables and now Rooney agree Messi is the best they have seen. He plays a game with which we are not familiar.” [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Messi's skill set is so extraordinary that it transcends traditional football understanding, making him unparalleled among peers. **In simple terms:** Messi redefines football excellence. Key Takeaway Messi's talent is unmatched. Themes excellence innovation legacy comparative greatness skill mastery Mood admiration awe excitement Type testimonial evaluation celebration When to use this quote - sports commentary - fan debates - player scouting - media analysis - historical rankings Key Concepts football talent generational impact player perception Practical Applications - sports journalism - player evaluation Questions to Reflect On - What makes a player transcend eras? - How do we measure greatness across generations? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life & time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-time-2/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooney/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We generally write best of what we ourselves have seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buchan/we-generally-write-best-of-what-we-ourselves-have-seen/) [James Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buchan/) > [Messi is the best. I have not seen or will ever see a player like Lionel Messi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-torres/messi-is-the-best-i-have-not-seen-or-will-ever-see-a-player-like/) [Fernando Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-torres/) > [“If you're the only one that can see the genius in you, It's best you revisit the drawing board.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nike-thaddeus/if-you-re-the-only-one-that-can-see-the-genius-in-you-it-s-best-you/) [Nike Thaddeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nike-thaddeus/) > [Unless one is a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-one-is-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [“You're an absolute genius! I'm the best Daphne ever!" "And so humble,too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/you-re-an-absolute-genius-i-m-the-best-daphne-ever-and-so-humble-too/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Unless you are a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [Like many of the people quoted on this dust-cover, I have not read Carl King's book. I am confident, however, that my review still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-anne-campbell/like-many-of-the-people-quoted-on-this-dust-cover-i-have-not-read/) Heather Anne Campbell > [The best player I ever played against is Thierry Henry. He was something else; i've played against Rooney and Ronaldo and players like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/the-best-player-i-ever-played-against-is-thierry-henry-he-was/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [But, as always, Mr. Rooney would come over and shake your hand and congratulate you on a good game, no matter what the situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-harris/but-as-always-mr-rooney-would-come-over-and-shake-your-hand-and/) [Franco Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-harris/) > [No, Wayne (Rooney) doesn’t need it (tips about style). He has his own style. But with hair he looks much better. He looks very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/no-wayne-rooney-doesn-t-need-it-tips-about-style-he-has-his-own-style/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [There was an interesting development in the CBS-Westmoreland trial: both sides agreed that after the trial, Andy Rooney would be allowed to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-was-an-interesting-development-in-the-cbs-westmoreland-trial/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [ \[Wayne Rooney\] has to be viewed as a great England striker if he breaks Sir Bobby Charlton's record. Scoring goals at international level is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/wayne-rooney-has-to-be-viewed-as-a-great-england-striker-if-he-breaks/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [The Rooneys are very classy. They're very deliberate with their decision-making. Once you're part of that family, Steeler nation, they treat you with respect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dorsett/the-rooneys-are-very-classy-they-re-very-deliberate-with-their/) [Tony Dorsett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dorsett/) > [My ideal trident would be myself alongside Rooney and Messi. They are the players who make me dream - not Cristiano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-tevez/my-ideal-trident-would-be-myself-alongside-rooney-and-messi-they-are/) [Carlos Tevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-tevez/) > [I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. They really suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/i-don-t-think-wayne-rooney-would-be-affected-if-you-booed-him-that-s/) [Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/) ## More by Gary Lineker > [People have no idea how hard football is, absolutely no idea. It's all about pace. You can say, 'Yeah, you've got speed of thought'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-have-no-idea-how-hard-football-is-absolutely-no-idea-it-s-all/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Congratulations to Thierry Henry on a truly wonderful career. One of the great footballers of our time and a top bloke. Bonne chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/congratulations-to-thierry-henry-on-a-truly-wonderful-career-one-of/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [People are possibly not spelling 'Leicester' correctly everywhere round the globe, but they are at least saying it correctly now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-are-possibly-not-spelling-leicester-correctly-everywhere-round/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [What you learn is that you can't please everyone all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/what-you-learn-is-that-you-can-t-please-everyone-all-the-time/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Messi doesn't have to do it in the Premier League to prove himself. The Champions League is the ultimate club competition. If he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/messi-doesn-t-have-to-do-it-in-the-premier-league-to-prove-himself/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [People make mistakes. They say stupid things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-make-mistakes-they-say-stupid-things/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [To be honest, it would have been better to watch it on Ceefax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/to-be-honest-it-would-have-been-better-to-watch-it-on-ceefax/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [You can never really justify wages in the entertainment business, but it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/you-can-never-really-justify-wages-in-the-entertainment-business-but/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [I know people think that a lot of sports stars are a little bit up themselves, but they all have their heroes, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/i-know-people-think-that-a-lot-of-sports-stars-are-a-little-bit-up/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [The Leicester story is great for the game in England. It's great for the appreciation of the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/the-leicester-story-is-great-for-the-game-in-england-it-s-great-for/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [The whole kiss-and-tell thing is a negative approach that often happens in a World Cup. We will see negative stories about the players and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/the-whole-kiss-and-tell-thing-is-a-negative-approach-that-often/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Playing football and presenting TV are totally different things, but there are similarities: it's exciting, it can go well, it can go badly... the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/playing-football-and-presenting-tv-are-totally-different-things-but/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [It's nice to have the power of Twitter to correct things that were incorrect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/it-s-nice-to-have-the-power-of-twitter-to-correct-things-that-were/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [ ...an excellent player, but he \[Ian Wright\] does have a black side. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/an-excellent-player-but-he-ian-wright-does-have-a-black-side/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [I'm in good shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/i-m-in-good-shape/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) [Explore all 146 Gary Lineker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) ## More Agree quotes > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. 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But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. 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