After lifting the World Cup trophy for Argentina and securing his crowning moment, it seemed the perfect time to end a fulfilled international career, as was the thought of many.
End the story with the trophy that eluded him the most and brought heartache on numerous occasions, most notably in 2014. But Lionel Messi is back at the World Cup stage, his sixth and final (probably?) appearance at age 39, giving it another go, looking to make history becoming the first nation to win the competition in consecutive editions since Brazil in 1957 and 1962, and enhance his already monumental legacy even further.
He has nothing to prove anymore. At this point, it seems he just wants to have fun. Playing without that pressure of living up to Maradona’s legacy should be an even scarier prospect for opponents in Argentina’s quest to retain.
And it is evident with Messi’s tally of five goals in just two games: a hat trick in the opener against Algeria, and a brace against Austria. This has been a record breaking tournament for the Argentina legend so far.
These contributions have not only been flashy; they have also been critical in ensuring Argentina’s qualification for the knockout rounds as they seek to defend their title.
With 18 goals, he is now the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer. He also holds the record for the most victories with 18 and matches played with 28. It is not genius to assume that if Argentina are going to do anything significant this time, their captain will be at the forefront.
Of course, four years after Qatar, it is clear that while he is not a spent force, he is on a physical decline. But that was never his main attribute. While many players rely on physical attributes that naturally deteriorate, Messi’s game has evolved to emphasize his unrivaled sense of space and timing.
The vision that enabled him to dominate Europe for two decades now serves him on the global stage in North America.
His former teammate at Barcelona, Pedri spoke on this in an interview with DSports. “I think that many times you see the game on TV and if you just start looking at him, he is looking where the free gap is or where he is going to be able to receive alone, because of the quality he is overflowing with, he has more than all the others. He sees football a little before the others and knows where to be to score a goal.”
Of course, he will have to be managed throughout. He came into the tournament with a knock, having also suffered more significant injuries recently, It is unrealistic to expect Messi to perform as he did at his peak, constantly bending the most important games to his will, but he still possesses the vision, guile, and deftness of touch to create moments of magic.
Argentina’s system continues to revolve heavily around him, as do their hopes of going back to back. Despite the passage of time, Messi remains the center of attention in the football world, especially as he continues to break records.
This could be the final chapter in the international career of one of, if not the greatest of all time. Let us enjoy him as much as we can.
