Messi is a man possessed
The Greatest of All Time now has a chance to win the one trophy he never has
I love this sport so damn much. If I think back on the last 15 years in which I have been infatuated with soccer, I consider myself spoiled to have watched arguably two of the best players in the history of the sport. Christiano Ronaldo for a long while had been in the GOAT conversation, but his legacy will take a hit based on his most recent issues with Manchester United and the elusive World Cup trophy that he will never win as a player.
Messi on the other hand continues to rise, no matter how impossible that may seem. If you weren’t paying attention, but are now that Argentina is in the World Cup final, I need to remind you that Lionel Messi has 7 goals and 10 assists for PSG this season in only 13 matches. In Champions League against the best teams in the world Messi has 4 goals and 4 assists in 5 matches… His average rating per match is a RIDICULOUS 8.49. Looking at it another way, Messi is averaging a man of the match performance for PSG. You have to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
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Now consider this same player has captained his national team to the finals of a World Cup to face either France or Morocco. He will have the chance to win a trophy he has never won this coming Sunday - the FIFA World Cup.
Today his play said it all. A dominating performance across the entire pitch, a perfect penalty, and an absurd assist to kill the game for Argentina. I’m not even shocked anymore. This man has made me a believer after all this time.
I was lucky enough to see Messi play at the legendary Barcelona ground Camp Nou. Seeing him glide across the pitch was genuinely majestic. The small touches he takes to make the ball stick to his foot, and the slight feints he uses to unbalance his defender is subtle and elegant. There has never been a player like Lionel Messi, and there likely won’t be ever again.
We all live in an amazing time of technology and exploration, but to also be able to see the greatest player of all time in a FIFA World Cup final will be the cherry on top.
We now have three outcomes in front of us. Lionel Messi leads Argentina to their first FIFA World Cup since 1986, France becomes the first repeat winners since Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962, OR Morocco becomes the first non-Euro or South-American team to win the World Cup.
As a neutral fan from here on out, I’m here for all of that! Take this as your reminder to enjoy. We’re coming to the end of a crazy time in the world, and it’s almost time to look ahead at USA 2026. Who knows when times will be this good again as a fan of soccer?
Nailed it again.