“Not only the population of Argentina, but everyone – the whole planet – wants to see him play,” Scaloni said before the game. “Everyone wants to see him on the pitch, because he has an impact not only on Argentina fans, but on supporters around the world.”
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Why Messi who plays like Xavi works for Argentina
Messi wants to equalize with Messi himself, creating a tribute act to himself. (AP)
The bridge is irresistible; To win it, to win it again. If Lionel Messi hadn’t won the World Cup in Qatar, he would have been just another celebrity guest in the corporate box. But success, unlike failure, tempts us to relive the glorious past, to kiss the bulbous crown again, to swing it over the shoulders of our teammates, or to weep ever so innocently again. Messi cannot put his past behind him and so he is in the US in 1962 for Pele and friends to finally achieve a rare feat.
Perhaps, this is how he planned his legacy. In winning the World Cup, he equaled Diego Maradona, his idol and still his country’s most beloved footballer. Now, Messi wants to equalize with Messi himself, creating a tribute act himself. He could spoil the perfect ending that Qatar gave him, he could become a parody of himself. He will turn 39 during the tournament. But Messi is under no illusions that he just needs to step up and goals and assists will come automatically, or that he is in his physical form.