FUTBOL

* With the elimination of European champions Barcelona by Internazionale of Milan, some already see the end of a great soccer era. But don’t cry for the Argentine young master, Lionel Messi, just yet.

Barcelona will certainly go on with its exquisite brand of “futbol,” to remind fans the world over of the “jogo bonito,” the beautiful game practiced by legendary Brazilian

national teams of the past. And Messi’s best chance to leave his mark on the game’s

history books may be a month from now at the World Cup in South Africa. He’s knows that only a win there will give credence to comparisons with another Argentine soccer legend, Diego Maradona.

For in today’s world of competitive soccer, there’s no place for eternal dominance. Other teams will come up to challenge Barcelona, and whoever else is at the top, for the ever pickier glory graced upon them by the gods of the sport.

Hopefully, we’ll all have many chances to admire Messi’s magic. In the meantime, Inter plays Bayern Munich on May 22 in Madrid, ironically, the place of residence of Barcelona’s biggest rivals.