Record snatched from Matthew, Argentina’s goal record surpassed: Lionel Messi puts on a show in the World Cup semi-finals. He sneaks around the square for a long time. It’s all a clever plan: finally gild your legacy completely and destroy a huge burden.
Every movement a stroke of genius, every touch of the ball a poem written with his feet. Every game a show. And this, even if it often only sneaks through the square and is almost invisible. Lionel Messi is a phenomenon. Unique. It’s a privilege to see him play in this tournament. A talented coach and scorer, he always has been. But the Argentine is dominating this World Cup because he has grown up and he finally wants to free himself from the weight of history.
Even in the sweeping 3-0 (2-0) victory over Argentina, Messi knows when to trade his almost sleepy walks around the pitch for incredible slalom runs, precise passing and icy finishes. Fans in Qatar and on devices see the best Messi a World Cup has ever produced. “This team is crazy and we made it, we will play another final and we have to enjoy it,” said the little playmaker after the easy victory.
But at first it seems anything but a stroll through the Albiceleste. Croatia are more gritty in duels and determine possession in the first 20 minutes at Lusail Stadium. Kicking off is historic for Messi as the 35-year-old plays his 25th World Cup match, equaling Lothar Matthäus’ record.
Messi, the walker personified. At his advanced age, the 35-year-old is known to often sneak across the field, which is also evident over long distances at the World Cup. It wasn’t until the 21st minute that he first picked up the pace, but other than a one-two dribble, he didn’t pop out much. No one can yet know what sprints, shots and performances the Schleicher will conjure up on the field in the next few minutes. However: many of the 88,000 spectators at the Lusail Stadium certainly suspect it. Possibly everything.
Messi, the cartographer
Because the walker confuses fans and opponents with his style of play. Almost cheeky he runs around in small steps that seem even smaller because of his small legs. Here he stops. There he walks for a few meters. But Messi’s head spins in all directions like a bird’s. They left. To the right. In front of. Rear. Left again. Like a cartographer, he perceives and records everything around him, analyzes in real time and knows before anyone else where the weak points of the opposing defense lie.
Then, when he receives the ball, every sinew in his body stiffens as if a button were pressed and there’s one of those out-of-nowhere pace surges that his fans love him for. Keep the ball close to his foot. Inimitable. Typical. In a matter of milliseconds, Messi can spin around his opponents and his own axis in the smallest and most refined movements, thus gaining air and creating chances. Like no other on the planet. The Croats may have been jolted awake once or twice last night, if they were able to sleep at all.
Because the drama for the 2018 vice world champion unfolds quickly and brutally after the good start. And Messi is, of course, always in the middle. In the 34th minute Julián Álvarez suddenly broke through and was served in an exemplary manner by Enzo Fernandez. As Dejan Lovren is sleeping, the young Manchester City striker runs alone towards Dominik Livakovic. The goalkeeper knocks him out, there are penalties.
Schleicher Messi, logically, puts the ball very quietly on the penalty spot. But then there is a double blast when the shot is fired: first with the completely humorless hammer of the ten (not at all like a stroller) under the bar – and then in the ranks. The goal puts Messi past the next legend, Gabriel Batistuta, to become the only Argentinian with 11 World Cup goals.
Messi is everywhere
Less than two minutes later, Albiceleste took a big step towards the big dream of the final. And what a crazy goal that 2-0 in the 39th minute, which was also responsible for a sprint from Messi, albeit minimal. A very small one, with which he deflects the ball past Marcelo Brozovic after a Croatian corner so that Álvarez can go full sprint.
From the center line, the attacker now vaults over all opponents in the way, as if someone were pressing the sprint button on the Playstation controller. Álvarez blocks several times, but just as many times brings the ball back to his feet before volleying it from close range. Messi jumps into his arms. Now here is the asylum. Ronaldinho, who played under Messi at Barcelona, also applauds in the stands.
Messi is everywhere now. Whether at walking pace, with a quick touch of the ball or in fifth gear. First he knocks three opponents out of traffic with a speed boost and, under extreme pressure, forcefully adjusts to the left side. He then hit a corner at the near post, where Alexis Mac Allister was wide open and only missed with a header thanks to a strong save from Livakovic. As a last action before the break, Messi shakes an ingenious and loose dribble from his ankle, with which he simply surrounds four Croatians in the best snake way and can only be stopped by a foul.
In the second half, Messi made a few slow laps to the far right of the stadium’s beautiful green. But then he doesn’t give a damn about walks. In the left corner of the penalty area, the tender nibbles at his opponent by pirouetting on a coaster. Then he plays a nice one-two, but Livakovic limits himself to blocking his left-footed shot from a tight angle.
“You never get tired of proving you’re the best in the world”
But the decision comes a few moments later, in the 69th minute. One of the most beautiful of this World Cup. Messi drives the ball down the right wing and is closely followed by Josko Gvardiol. The 20-year-old central defender from RB Leipzig, for whom a transfer fee of up to €100m is at stake and in which Bayern are rumored to be interested. It does not matter. Even ten Gvardiols – no disrespect – would stand no chance against the “flea” today. Not a single defender in the world would have that.
This time Messi hung on his Playstation controller and spun Gvardiol like crazy, letting him run to the edge of the box with an incredible body trick, shooting towards the backline and towards goal. What follows, of course, is the perfect pass behind the defense. There, his congenial partner Álvarez obviously runs perfectly free and pushes for the 3-0. What a model! What a goal! The Argentines are spinning their wheels: Álvarez, 22 years and 316 days old, becomes the youngest double in a World Cup semi-final or final since Pelé in 1958.
Tonight, Doha celebrates perhaps the best, because the most mature, Messi that a World Cup has ever seen. Former colleague Luis Suárez writes of Messi on Instagram: “You never get tired of proving that you are the best in the world. The world must stand up and applaud everything this man has given to football.” The ‘old man’ knows exactly when to sneak around calmly and when to turn on his incredible turbo for those brilliant Messi moments. Now he is about to be crowned. And the dream of all Argentina is alive.
Messi and the crushing weight
Because Messi carries the burden of an entire country on his rather slender shoulders. Not only that, plus the weight of history. The burden of becoming on par with perhaps the greatest director of all time. For decades, football-loving and proud Argentina could not wait to finally bring Messi to the great success of 1986 under the direction of Maradona. Nothing has been won yet, but the tournament, which almost ended in the greatest possible catastrophe after the first defeat against Saudi Arabia, is already a success for Argentina. The crushing burden, Messi almost completely shattered.
Having long been unable to follow Maradona’s path to success in a national capacity, Messi, who emigrated early from his native Rosario to FC Barcelona, is not always popular in Argentina. Many believe he has yet to win that one title to become a legend. To become immortal. What the hero of the 1986 World Cup, the icon who disappeared two years ago, still means for the country, can also be seen from the fact that almost the entire stadium pays homage to Maradona in the 10th minute: “Dieeego, Dieeego” resounds among the ranks .
This tournament is Messi’s last chance to win the World Cup. To become the next legend of Argentina. “I am very happy to conclude my travels to the World Cup with my last game in a final – he says himself – There are many years left until the next World Cup and I don’t think I will make it. Finishing it this way is better this way”. In Sunday’s final against France or Morocco, Lionel Messi is also concerned about his personal legacy. Will people walk first and then do magic?
