Farewell with a bang from the World Cup?
Messi does not want to fall in love with Argentina’s “madness”.
17/11/2022 22:27
Lionel Messi has landed in Qatar and is starting the hunt for that trophy he still lacks with Argentina. And that’s all that matters for the Albiceleste, which hardly any expert has not chosen as a favorite: The greatest in history should finally take the World Cup throne
Lionel Messi didn’t look tired at all. The Argentine superstar smiled relaxed after arriving in World Cup country Qatar and gave a thumbs-up at the cameras, even though the plane from Abu Dhabi only landed in Doha at around 2:30 on Thursday morning. “La Pulga” can sleep even when he is world champion.
And that’s all that matters for the Albiceleste, which hardly any expert hadn’t chosen as a favourite: the greatest in history, as many already see him, should finally take the World Cup throne at 35 before wearing the his shoes in the not too distant future. The script has been written for some time, but has been in the drawer for four world championships.
“I learned to live differently”
Messi himself, who declared his fifth of his last World Cup, is exercising restraint. “We are in good shape,” he told Movistar TV in one of his rare interviews: “We mustn’t fall into people’s madness and think we will be world champions. We must go step by step.”
Messi has known the pressure at home since making his international debut in 2005. He has also felt the pain of losing finals, not least because Mario Götze snatched the World Cup trophy from him in 2014. But after 18 years in the game, the man of eternally young magic foot is at peace. The World Cup comes at a time “where I’ve learned to live differently,” said Messi: “I enjoy it differently. I like everything more.”
So the moment is more than favorable. Wednesday’s dress rehearsal in the United Arab Emirates, which the favorite easily won 5-0 (4-0), was above all an example of Argentine fluency. There was a lot of danger from Messi, who scored a goal and an assist himself. As is often the case, he, who has gone from goalscorer to attacking midfielder in recent years, hit his hooks and looked like a younger man.
The fans are already celebrating
Before Saudi Arabia kicks off in Group C on Tuesday (11am in Lusail), Argentina look like a team that could be in the final on 18 December. Poland are waiting for former Bayern star Robert Lewandowski. World champions France could even be lurking in the round of 16.
The Argentinian fans will hardly be impressed, they are already in a party mood. More than 500 of them, some supporters from India and some from South America, spent the night at the home of the 1978 and 1986 world champions, merrily singing their songs as they tried to catch a glimpse of Messi and company. In vain. They only saw the team bus pull up. From a good distance.
