Oh, this sport of ours. This sport, with its corruption and its sportswashing. Its greed and its thoughtlessness. Never has football been so conflicted, so overtly flawed.
And yet, this sport of ours is so perfect. At least, we can be convinced that it is now that the greatest player of this – and arguably any – generation is standing atop football’s mountain with the World Cup in his hands. And what a way to do it.
Lionel Messi, he of 11 domestic championship winner’s medals and four Champions League crowns among a total of 36 club trophies. He of seven Ballons d’Or in an extraordinary career. He of the majestic feet, wonderful touch, precision pass and audacious brilliance in front of goal. He, at the age of 35 and having won everything else the game has to offer, is finally a world champion with Argentina.
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Nobody who has watched his career closely over the last two decades can deny that this was a moment he deserved. That 2014 final defeat to Germany looked like a huge missed opportunity for a decent Albiceleste side. Four years on, they were ragged throughout their group campaign and were beaten 4-3 in a thriller by France once the knockouts came around. At 31, it looked like Messi’s chance had gone.
But in Qatar, Argentina got their revenge in Sunday’s 4-2 penalty shootout win after their 3-3 thriller in the World Cup final against Les Bleus. The great number 10 scored twice in normal play but he was made to wait for the ultimate prize. Still, Gonzalo Montiel's winning penalty meant that he got to the top of the podium in the end.
The South Americans came out of the blocks with a real purpose, Messi scoring from the spot after Angel di Maria was brought down by Ousmane Dembele. Unlike the 2014 final when he never really got going, the Argentina captain absolutely revelled in the occasion this time around. His was pretty much the complete display, covering almost every blade of grass in the process. He had a role in the second as Alexis Mac Allister got free on the right and squared for Di Maria to slide home.
☑️ Round of 16
☑️ Quarter final
☑️ Semi final
☑️ Final
The first man to ever do it.
The GOAT. 🐐
Not until Kylian Mbappe's penalty 10 minutes from time did the reigning champs get close to the Albiceleste, with Nicolas Otamendi's careless foul on Randal Kolo Muani allowing Didier Deschamps' men back into it. Two minutes later he was volleying home a brilliant equaliser from Marcus Thuram's header.
Messi appeared to have won it all over again with 12 minutes of extra-time remaining. Following up Hugo Lloris' parry from Lautaro Martinez's shot, Messi got just enough contact on the ball to see it cross the line despite Jules Kounde's best effort to clear. It still wasn't enough. Montiel's handball led to Mbappe's hat-trick goal and we were off to the penalty spot. They had to go and win it for a third time.
This is a national victory which will be cheered from Buenos Aires to Bahia Blanca, from Mendoza to Mar del Plata. But thanks to their star man it will also be celebrated across the world. Not just in Barcelona, where he made his home for so many years, and Paris, his current place of business. His brilliance has ensured him supporters all over the globe.
And with the eyes of the world watching on Sunday, he delivered the perfect performance to complete the storybook tournament. However much longer he goes on for, he will do so knowing that he has won everything there is to be won. And in many ways it is more fitting that he did it this way. Two goals in a World Cup victory.
He had to wait until his final World Cup to achieve it, but anything worth winning is worth waiting for. There was no win at 27 and subsequent claims of decline in the years that followed. Instead he has reached the peak after an entire career of blood, sweat and tears.
You have to look hard to find the positives in football sometimes, especially given some of the politics of the last decade. But when Lionel Messi does what he does, how can you not fall straight back in love with the game?
All those career highlights, those brilliant dribbles, the perfect passes, the wonderful goals. They have all led to this. Lionel Messi is a world champion. At last.
Nobody has ever deserved it more.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
