[Colonna speciale Coppa del mondo di calcio]Lionel Messi, representing Argentina in the Qatar World Cup Final. A journalist from the Spanish culture magazine Panenka tells the legend that challenges the stage of the World Cup final.
■ The history of football itself
It seems that everything has been written about Lionel Messi. But the players themselves continue to write their own story, forcing us to discover new words. Messi is running football history himself, so he can’t be helped.
Messi has been defined in so many different ways.
“Messi is a dog”
— Argentinian journalist Hernán Casiari struck us when he described Messi as a man who never falls, never dives, never complains and only focuses on the ball and the goal.
“Messi is an alien”
—Barcelona newspapers have said it dozens of times, perpetuating the hoax that your homeland was extraterrestrial.
‘Messi is the safest thing in sport’
–This is the opinion of the journalist Marti Paralnau.
“Messi is a goat”
――Goat pictograms appearing infinitely on SNS. “GOAT (Greatest of All Time)”.
“Messi, please don’t be bored!”
–This is the wish of Dani Alves, one of the people who understood each other best on the pitch.
Also, even if you explain it simply and clearly without exaggerating, you can understand the beauty of Messi’s existence. For example, journalist Juamma Romero tweeted: “A good striker scores good goals. A good midfielder scores good assists. Messi does it all by himself. That’s why he’s the best.”
“Total Footballer”. The most decisive player in the world who will be recorded and remembered. From the age of 18 when he made his debut for Barcelona’s first team to today, at 35, Messi has remained the same. The numbers I left in my career, the numbers I left in Qatar prove it. No player has scored more goals, assists, dribbled past or created chances than Messi in this World Cup. Despite it being his fifth World Cup.
The magical dribble that launched Joszko Gvardiol in the team’s third goal against Croatia in the semi-final proved that genius is ageless. The Croatia centre-back, who has made a big appearance in the tournament, is 15 years younger than Messi. But Leo made him dizzy, as if he were teaching him the rhythm of cumbia.
Goddess of Argentina
(C) Getty Images
Everyone knows that Messi always wanted to win the World Cup. That said, I don’t see him as frustrated as before. Maybe he knows that the real treasure is enjoying the World Cup to the fullest. Because there is no next time. Messi spent his days in Qatar with all kinds of emotions. His mental maturity showed in his aptitude for leading the team and the way he shared the joy with the fans. You’re an idiot”.
Messi kept his anger within himself, and it was not uncommon for it to manifest itself in unhealthy ways (the media caught his dissatisfaction through the people involved and stirred it up in scandalous ways). However, in this World Cup, he always gives interviews after the game and says what he has to say. When we lost our first game against Saudi Arabia, he stood in front of the microphone as if to take responsibility, and since then he has been telling us to be more careful when we win (as if I was telling myself). It would have been unthinkable before Messi spoke so much in public.
Once the object of criticism, Messi is now more protected than ever by his own media and teammates. Messi prowls the pitch as Rodrigo De Paul blocks counter-attacks or Nicolas Otamendi clears the ball from his own penalty area. To the ignorant it seems to be walking idly, but analysts disagree. Like a controlling character in a video game, he builds his stamina gauge, seeking the space and timing to make a decisive play. To maximize the effect of the game only you can do.
After all, a team called Argentina plays ‘for Messi’, not ‘for Messi’. The difference between the two is big. Messi is the goddess of “Liberty Leading the People” by Eugène Delacroix. Beautiful and intimidating, she leads her people to her, who are shot, attacked and covered in mud. Leo is immaculate, but holds the flag high as a symbol of Argentina, not France.
■ Last Messi
(C) Getty Images
Messi reached that point in his fifth World Cup. Germany 2006 was still a novice player. At the 2010 South African Games, he was coached by Diego Maradona. At the 2014 tournament in Brazil, he suffered a big disappointment when he lost to Germany in the final. There was nothing at the 2018 Russia Games… And now, in Qatar 2022, he took it one step at a time, enjoying the joy of playing, without feeling the pressure that he had in the past.
Perhaps Messi lightened up by winning the Copa America in the summer of 2021. The tears he shed after defeating Brazil in the final made him stronger. Messi has long been accused of having a ‘Pecho Julio’ (cold heart) who didn’t give his all for Argentina, and he once retired from international football. But after winning the Copa America, no one doubts him anymore. Not only that, but he doesn’t make it a condition for love, like winning a title. Messi is now one of us, he sings and cries like them.
Messi is so beautiful right now, with Diego Maradona watching from the sky. It’s been almost 20 years since Michael Jordan retired until we see the classic Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance on Netflix, but it’s like watching such a documentary in real time. Messi is definitely making history right now. No need to wait and look back.
The man broke the record for most World Cup appearances after winning his seventh Ballon d’Or on Sunday. Win or lose, the footprints will never disappear. Now it’s “The Last Messi”. Let’s thank you for living in the same era and impress it on our retinas.
Text = Roger Xuriach (Spanish magazine “Panenka”)
Translated by Shinichiro Ema
