Amidst all of the talk and expectations surrounding Lionel Messi before the tournament commenced, the pressure was enormous for him to emulate Diego Maradona.
The 35-year-old’s story has been quite an incredible journey.
Born in Rosario, Messi left his hometown at the age of 13 to chase his childhood dream of travelling to Spain and playing for powerhouses Barcelona.
Two years prior, he and his family had learned that he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) which was a condition that interrupted his growth and required treatment that was too expensive for a household that was just scraping by earning a living.
How lucky are we all that Barca was able to recognise Messi’s talent and offer him a contract and help cover the cost of the treatment that was eventually successful?
Then there was his terrible luck in finals for his country where he was on the losing side of three Copa America finals as well as falling short in the 2014 World Cup Final in extra time.
After the defeat to Chile on penalties in the 2016 Copa America final, Messi was so deflated that he announced his retirement from international football, feeling as though he had failed his nation and had nothing more left to give.
(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
How lucky are we all that he decided to step out of retirement and continue his life-long dream of winning silverware for Argentina?
The Copa America triumph against Brazil in their rivals’ own backyard set the foundations of a new-found mentality that propelled them to a 35-game unbeaten streak heading into Qatar.
Back in 1986 some 36 years ago in Mexico, it was Diego Maradona, considered a god by the Argentinian people, who single-handedly carried the nation on his back to win the World Cup with not the most talented side on paper.
See, the difference between the two greats, is that Diego was a true leader and showed that real grit and passion to win at all costs is what made every Argentine adore him. Messi has always lacked that unique charisma and has often been criticised for not being ‘Argentinian enough.’
The people of Argentina viewed Messi as more Spanish than Argentinian due to his incredible performances in a Barcelona shirt compared to the underwhelming performances of the South American giants. As unfair of an opinion as it might have been, that’s how they truly felt.
During this past month on the world’s biggest stage, there is no doubt that Messi bled blue and white in his heart as he had a sensational tournament and broke records, just as has done with Barcelona for so many years.
– 7 goals
– 3 assists
– 5 man of the match awards (most in any WC)
– First player in WC history to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final in the same tournament
– Golden ball award for player of the tournament
Despite those impressive stats he displayed, it would not count for a single thing if Messi was not able to bring glory back to the streets of Argentina. It was the dark cloud hanging over his head.
In the final against France, he scored two goals on top of a penalty taken so cooly in the shootout to set up their run, along with a mesmerising performance.
It could have panned out so differently though.
The 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia as well as the two-goal lead blown against both the Dutch and French were defining moments.
The old Messi would have succumbed to the pressure, drop his head, and not taken the game by the scruff of the neck.
This version of Messi was the one that the Argentines were crying out so desperately to see for all these years. They were searching for a saviour, an icon, someone who they could look up to the same way they did for Diego.
Just like that, the little master succeeded in proving all of the doubters wrong.
When it was realised that Argentina had won the World Cup, the first thought that went through my mind was how much of a shame it was that Maradona himself was not there to witness the emotional scenes.
It took me back to footage of Maradona celebrating Messi entering the pitch for his World Cup debut back at the 2006 World Cup.
Talent recognises talent. Maradona knew that Messi was the chosen one for the people of Argentina. Just that those people were not fully onboard.
Now they are.
Diego is looking down from above with fond pride and joy knowing that Lionel Messi catapulted his nation to the highest of highs.
A once-in-a-century talent finishes the final chapter of his international career as a World champion.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Just four teams remain in the hunt for the 2023/24 A-League Championship and the action will be intense in the opening legs of the…
Bayern Munich led 1-nil at the 87th minute mark until the Spaniard's two goals.
Alphonso Davies looked to have undone all his hard work of scoring the first goal when the ball went into his own net off…
Real Madrid will go for their 15th European title against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley at the start of June after a stunning late turnaround…
Selflessness. Not a trait typically associated with Real Madrid. After all, this is the club of the 'Galacticos' and the European Super League. A…
Matt Hummels, a veteran of Dortmund's 2013 Champion League's loss, was instrumental in his side's win over PSG, delivering a header five minutes into…
