Magical Messi's Maracana misfortune
- adamhigginsuk
- Jul 14, 2014
- 4 min read
So near, yet so far: Messi was within touching distance of the World Cup but did not seize the chance with both hands (Picture from Getty Images)
IT was the night when Lionel Messi was supposed to elevate himself among the elite and illustrate his supreme talents to a global audience.
But the Argentina captain produced a quiet and subdued display on the grandest stage of all - when it mattered most to his country.
Although his status as a supreme talent and modern great is already assured, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift the World Cup in your own continent has passed him by - and will haunt him for the rest of his career.
Messi lit up the Maracana with a superb solo goal in Argentina's opening match against Bosnia and the script was written for him to replicate the feat.
But he could not conjure that moment of magic to make the final chapter something of a fairytale for the South Americans, who were desperate to succeed where fierce rivals Brazil have failed.
The Golden Ball - awarded to the best player of the tournament - will not even represent a consolation in Messi's eyes, even if he did fend off competition from nine other worthy winners and his coach believed he fully deserved the accolade.
The biggest prize in world football has eluded his grasp - the one which would have completed his esteemed collection of honours and ensured he will be forever mentioned in the same breath as Pele, the recently deceased Alfredo di Stefano and his native Diego Maradona, whom he has now surpassed in terms of international caps with 93 to his name.
With four crucial group-stage goals and a vital assist in the round of 16, Messi's match-winning ability had almost single-handedly carried La Albiceleste into a much-coveted first World Cup final in 24 years.
But despite that contribution, none of his goals have come in the knockout stages while his static and unimposing performances have been widely criticised as a result of the high standards expected of a player who has been voted the best in the world on four occasions.
Messi possesses many super-human powers in his armourery and if turning back the clock would be one of them, he would rewind back to the moment he led his nation out of the tunnel shortly before kick-off. Hindsight, though, is a wonderful thing.
With the spotlight shining twice as bright after being the subject of much of the pre-match talk, Messi was under intense pressure from the outset to make an impact.
Several teams have attempted to nullify his threat by getting players to surround him but the Germans often left just one man to mark him - and that was effective enough.
His sudden change of pace often bamboozled Mats Hummels but he was not allowed to get into the positions to hurt the Germans.
Messi threatened to make something happen when he turned on the after-burners to leave Hummels for dead before his cutback was intercepted but the warning signs to keep their concentration were always in place for Germany.
It took him 47 minutes to create a decisive moment - his normally lethal left foot was not up to scratch though as he pulled a shot wide of the post. It was another 30 minutes before his next significant involvement - another curling effort off target.
He was criticised for standing still too often in the semi-final against Holland but similar scrutiny could not be aimed on this occasion.
Messi was constantly looking to get into pockets of space but he just could not get on the ball enough. And when he did, there was a lack of confidence at times.
Even in extra-time when the need became increasingly urgent, the tank was running on empty and any influence he had completely waned.
Was it fatigue or stage fright, was he overawed by the occasion, did the weight of expectation on his shoulders simply make him fall? Surely these factors do not affect someone like Messi, who took the Champions League by storm from the moment he burst onto the European scene.
As referee Nicola Rizzoli's whistle sounded for the final time, the overwhelming expression of disappointment could not be hidden on the 27-year-old's face.
His dejected posture and solemn expression - even when he collected his personal reward for a tournament in which his nation have overachieved in many people's eyes - told its own story.
Messi is no longer the selfish, egotistical and glory-seeking individual that he was once considered to be. He had been the most creative player in the tournament before the final, creating 21 scoring chances for his team-mate. The stats don't lie!
It is a team game and even one world-class player, however talented, cannot realise the dream on their own when it comes to the crunch time.
As he trundled down towards the dressing room, Messi would have glanced back with envy as the real stars of the show savoured a winning feeling he longed to taste.
Whether his time on the world stage will come again remains to be seen but the perfect narrative that was built up for 2014 was well and truly spoiled.
Messi is still a world great, of course he is, but there are unprecedented levels still to be reached - that cannot be unlocked until he has a World Cup winners' medal in his possession.
Last updated: 14 July 2014 08:58am
Comentarios