Is this own mental state that "all fall in me" he has that keeps making him fail at the finals by Argentina.
He was the one to lose that penalty right in the beginning, and he is way better than that, but mind is a big part of a player, and he keeps showing he doesn't have a suited one to play for his own country.

While Pele was leading Brazil as a teenager to win it's first and second, and later third world cups, as well as leading Santos to win everything in the strong brazillian league just as well (brazillian league may be weak this days, but is still by far the most difficult to get, as we don't have 2 or 3 strong teams always winning it, like in Spain, while here we have around 10 teams always with real chances and similarly leveled teams).

Messi will really never reach Pele, and Maradona was still a more decisive player for Argentina.

Who leads Argentina attacks? It's Messi who else? This tournament he finished with 5 goals and 4 assists, the most productive player in the tournament.

Brazilian league is weak these days because the football has evolved but Brazilians are still in the 90's tactically. 

Messi is already up there with Pele, he worked by himself for the over 500 goals in competition games and moments of pure genius. As a 10, a 9 and a 7, no one in modern football has marked the game like he did.

Ronaldo dragged a garbage team to the semi's of a Euro, a much tougher competition than copa. Ronaldo has done pretty well internationally, although he could do more. But he hasn't announced that he's going to retire because he's so mentally fragile that he can't take the criticism and heat and would rather give up than fail again. That is pathetic. Can you ever imagine Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan doing that?I mean holy crap that's weak and you can't deny it. Out of hundreds of players across dozens of international teams, it's Messi that makes headlines for an unprecedented quittal on his national team. Come on man, this is right up there with Lebrons "decision" as one of the most pathetic moments in sports history.

Messi can rack up all the numbers he wants in meaningless games. Ultimately you play for trophies - that's the measure of a player, not how many goals he scored against garbage teams. That one Maradona goal against England? It'll be remembered by more people than 400 of Messi's goals because of the stage, style and competiton it was scored in.

And he knows it - I guarantee you that Messi would trade in 300 of his goals for just one in the last WC finals. Messi has proven himself at club level, with an all time stacked team built around him. 

Although I rank Messi above Ronaldo all time, I have to admit that if I was building a team from scratch I'd pick Ronaldo before Messi - because he has more individual weapons to effect any given game against any given team and he won't quit on me after a finals loss. Messi is the greatest system player of all time, but he is lacking the intangibles to be the greatest inidvidual player. He's mentally weak.

All time career greatness wise yeah, it moved him in to my top 5, not sure exactly where but probably ahead of Bird at #4. His resume is simply too strong now. I'd take Bird in close the deal situations every day of the week, but for the other 3 and a half quarters I'll take Lebron. If I'm going in to a finals series though, just 7 games for the trophy, I'm taking Shaq, Kobe, Bird, and maybe Hakeem ahead of him. I don't trust Lebron the way I trust those guys in close out situations, just the way I don't trust Messi. But his overall career greatness is just too much for me to ignore. Lebron was great in these finals, but to be honest Curry's historically epic choke job did a lot of the work for him.

PS: I dont know where I rank Wilt and Russel so I dont rank them - they have the titles, but I've watched them play (not a lot, just a few games which are available online) and honestly I think they'd get railroaded in todays league. That's the way I feel about Pele too based on full games I've watched of him, which is why I rank him below Maradona as well. Not their fault, they destroyed everyone they faced but the competition just wasnt that impresive and that factors in for me too.

Ronaldo dragged a garbage team in Euro 12? LOL, that team had Mouthinho and Raul Meireles in form, so was Nani. Ronaldo never dragged Portugal because he's not that type of player. Goals are not the beginning and end of everything, Spain had the most trouble playing against Portugal because its midfield and defense was top quality. Don't make up stuff, you don't recognise Portuguese players say so.

You can will all the team trophies you want but if you don't have numbers (assists, goals) you  don't go anywhere.

Barcelona was not built round Messi, that style of play was taught by Cruyff to Barcelona more than 20 years ago.

What weapons does Ronaldo have over Messi? Physical abilities? Because Messi  would embarrass him if you would compare technical abilities, tactical awareness and attitude.

Messi's decision to quit national team is more off the field than anything. Argentinian press never recognized him as one of their own. Portuguese press was attacking French press the last couple of days because the French said that Ronaldo and Portugal are not that impressive. Which is true but Portuguese defends Ronaldo when he doesn't even play 1/4 of what he plays in Real Madrid. 

As individual player no ones touches Messi

You should look for Ronaldinho Gaucho moments if you want to see some of the highest quality football ever played.
At his peak he was the most untouchable player football has seem.

Then show me Ronaldinho's long range pass capabilities and goal scoring ability.

That clutch gene of Messi:

2007 Copa America

07/15/2007 Argentina 0x3 Brazil . Messi: goals: 0 Assists: 0

2014 World Cup

07/13/2014 Argentina 0 x 1 Germany Messi goals: 0 Assists: 0

2015 Copa America

7/4/2015 Chile 0 (4) x 0 (1) Argentina Messi goals: 0 Assists: 0

2016 Copa America Centenário

06/26/2016 – Chile 0 (4) x 0 (2) Argentina Messi goals: 0 Assists: 0

How did they get to finals? They just teleported themselves there? The other games don't matter?

Argentina is not Messi, it takes more than one player to make a team.

You cant be the GOAT and wet the bed every time it matters most. You need to be a closer. Messi is simply not. That's what keeps him from the top of that list - he wets the bed when it's time to deliver the trophy.