SOMETIMES all it takes is to create a brilliant chapter in the history of world football for posterity is just two words: Lionel Messi.
For a split second as it was being scripted, Time seemed to freeze as Legend and History fused in a dramatic unfolding of power and prowess, skill and nerves, when Argentina beat defending champions France 4-2 in penalties to claim the FIFA World Cup trophy on Sunday, Deccember 18.
That initial thunderbolt of shock, surprise and hushed silence seemed like an eternity. But seconds later the world erupted in a deafening roar of wild applause and cheering – from frenzied fans inside the stadium, celebrants around the world, to Argentina exulting with euphoric delirium and pride at winning the World Cup for the third time, and for the first time after 1986.
Victory in the conventional sense of the word though goals would certainly reflect in no small measure, a team’s speed, power and skills on the playing field.
However winning on the basis of penalty kicks is more a contest of nerves and grit rather than anything else.
There can be no doubt that both France and Argentina were equally matched and both deserved to win. After all with players like Kylian Mbappe heading the French onslaught and Lionel Messi leading from the front for Argentina, anything was possible either ways.
But in the end the decider went in favour of the Argentinians after the match was locked 3-3 and the game had gone into extra time.
Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez made no mistake and saved Kingsley Coman’s penalty and Aurelien Tchouameni fired wide to give Argentina their first world title since 1986, and third overall.
While the overall team effort of the Argentine side is nothing short of extraordinary, at an individual level, this was certainly Lionel Messi’s match.
The pressure of winning the game when you’re 35 was just part of his problem. The bigger burden without a doubt was to cap his 22-year football career with a World Cup title and make his final bow from the world stage of soccer.
But all through the game Messi showed he has nerves of steel and exceptional cool, showing no emotion or signs of buckling under any kind of pressure. And that’s what makes him who he is – Lionel Messi.
His statement after Argentina’s sweet victory that he won’t be retiring from football for a long, long time has brought joy among his millions of fans around the world.
The Argentine adulation for Messi is perhaps as much as God. And he will now take his place and stand tall among football greats like Diego Maradona and Pele.
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