At 38, Lionel Messi is playing in what is almost certainly his last FIFA World Cup. Having already won everything football has to offer — eight Ballon d'Ors, four Champions Leagues, and the 2022 World Cup — the only thing left is to do it again. And on current form, Argentina are serious contenders to be the first side to defend the title since Brazil in 1962.
What Messi Has Done at This Tournament
Two goals, five assists. Those are the raw numbers. But the numbers do not capture the reality of what Messi has done. He has operated as a free 8, dropping deep to collect, playing passes that no one else sees, drawing multiple defenders before releasing teammates into space. In the quarter-final against Egypt, he produced what ESPN described as the best 45-minute performance by any player in this tournament. Argentina won 3-0 and Messi barely broke a sweat.
The Semi-Final Challenge
England will attempt to prevent Messi receiving the ball in dangerous spaces. Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo will shadow him tightly. Tuchel's game plan is built around denying Messi time on the ball. But England have to be perfect for 90 minutes — or longer — and Messi only needs one moment. That is what makes him unique. One moment, one pass, one free-kick, and the game changes.
Beyond Wednesday
If Argentina beat England and reach the final on July 19, Messi will have a chance to win a third World Cup — something no player in the modern era has ever achieved. It would be the perfect final chapter to the greatest career in the history of the sport. He has earned the right to dream.
Source: ESPN, Goal.com, FIFA.com. Image: Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0.
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