Lionel Messi roars like a lion to take Argentina into the FIFA World Cup final against Croatia and then says he is bidding goodbye to international football
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Lionel Messi celebrating
The Lionel in Lionel Messi means Little Lion, derived from Latin. At the cauldron-like Lusail Stadium on Tuesday night in Qatar, there were not one, but two Lionels’ who masterminded Argentina’s decimation of Croatia 3-0 in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup. This is no wordplay, the two Lionels — Messi and his manager Scaloni — showed the world nothing was going to stop them this time.
What came as a shocker a few hours after this majestic win was when Messi told an Argentina media house he was hanging up his boots for Argentina. At first, some thought this was a joke. Then it spread like wildfire, Messi saying adios. His final fling for Argentina has made fans weep, already. Maybe, when he steps off the turf, it will hit you harder on Sunday.
Back to Argentina versus Croatia, how does one capture the magic of Messi and Julian Alvarez, wearing the blue and white No.10 and No.9 jerseys, respectively? Global football fans have struggled to deal with the trauma of seeing the marquee nations like Spain, Brazil, and Portugal exit. This World Cup had become all about tears and trauma, for football is passion and emotion. Perhaps, one man who has a lion’s heart and roared at the Lusail Stadium was Lionel Messi, whose master-class act and sheer presence defined how hard he and the Argentines want to change the script this time.
To say the wait to win the World Cup has been agonizing for Argentina would be stating the obvious. No doubt, the hype around Messi and his men has been there, all along. Tough times never last, tough people do, goes the saying. At 35, Messi is the Lion who could not be caged by the Croatians, whose incredible run since the 2018 World Cup has been captivating.
It needed the brilliance of Messi, who roared against the Croats. His majestic appearance resembled the Lion in the jungle. Instead of the wild bushes and natural habitat that lions like to be in, football’s lion — Messi — roamed majestically and preyed on the opposition. That he got a full meal was incisive as he roared and so did the sea of white and blue fans dotting the stands in the Lusail Stadium. They had, or have, come to see Argentina win this time. Argentine fans have not lost faith in Messi. He is a messiah for them, a lion who will go for the kill. After all, even aging lions like to hunt for their meat. Sunday will be the last tango.
Lionel Messi heaped praise on Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni
The best part was, after the match, Messi spoke about the senior lion, Scaloni, who has plotted the strategies and how to rip apart rival teams. Perhaps, it is through this chemistry between the two Lions of Argentina football, the world got to see a dominating performance. Argentina had run the Croats ragged on the grassy deck, by the fifth minute. The onslaught was sustained and very dangerous. At the other end, a man who is indeed a legend, Luka Modric, 37, was flummoxed. His body language was one of a boxer defeated in the ring, though, he tried.
In sports, there are some days when you just don’t get going, like at work in the office. Argentina had no such problems, though Croatia did. Expectations were it would be a tough match, where the margin of victory would be narrow. No, Messi and his young crew, of which Alvarez is now a key component, blew away their rivals as if atoning for that loss against Saudi Arabia in the league opener. That one result had shaken faith in the Argentine football team, albeit briefly. Messi was not intimidated one bit. With experience, natural flair, and feel, mentally one of the most composed matinee idols, he led the revival, match by match.
A plethora of statistics is being put out on what Messi has done till now, in terms of his goals scored, his left-foot magic, and how he has been brutal with the dead ball. No, Messi is not doing it for himself, he is there as the leader of Argentina, like the orchestra conductor, who directs the artists on stage in producing a symphony.
Billions of memories of Messi are there for each fan to replay in his heart, soul, and mind. It stirs you. On Tuesday night, when the orchestra-like appearance was over, Messi raised his hands and smiled. He raised his arms like Jesus Christ blessing his followers. And those followers of Lionel Messi’s faith and Argentina were so emotional, they kept quiet for that brief period after the match and then celebrated.
To say that Messi has resurrected Argentina would be wrong. He was always there, just that the Lion was waiting for redemption. Sometimes, aimless running around gets tiring. At 35, you do not expect Messi to be as fit as he was in his first campaign. After Diego Maradona, who is now watching from above, the next legend/icon who wants to be remembered forever, is Messi. La Albiceleste is the name for Argentina, which means the white and blue sky. White is a color of purity and blue symbolizes serenity and stability. Messi showed serenity and purity at a crucial stage and had fans emotional, in Qatar and back home in Argentina. Wearing the blue and white jersey, and screaming in celebrations, fans have lapped up this act from the GOAT (Greatest Of all Time).
This script needs a final touch, which will come on Sunday, against France or Morocco. No way the two Lionels — Messi and Scaloni are going to worry about what is in store. If there is a distinction between two words, belief and faith, then one has to say that faith in Messi stays unshakable. Sunday is a day of rest and prayer. Argentina will pray and their team will play. Amen.
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)