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Lionel Scaloni tends to be thoughtful about many things, but especially when the subject turns to another Lionel – a much more famous one, arguably the most famous athlete in the world, and one the Argentina coach gets to see on a daily basis.
You see, Scaloni has been watching Lionel Messi for most of his life. Both hail from the Argentine province of Santa Fe, Scaloni from the small town of Pujato and Messi from the much larger Rosario. Both their paths went through Newell’s Old Boys, the historic club that has produced the likes of Maxi Rodriguez, Gabriel Batistuta and current American coach Mauricio Pochettino.
So when Scaloni talks about Messi’s legacy, it bears listening.
“Not only the Argentine population, but everyone – the whole planet – wants to see him play,” explained Scaloni. “Everyone wants to see him on the pitch because he has an effect not only on Argentina fans but also supporters around the world.”
These supporters will likely get their last chance to see Messi wearing his light blue striped shirt WC begins Tuesday night, when the defending champions open their tournament against Algeria at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring problem in the run-up to the World Cup, but he has looked comfortable in the rare chances reporters have witnessed in training. And in last week’s final tuneup against Iceland at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, he entered the game as a second-half substitute, scored moments later on a penalty kick and played 20 minutes without issue.
So, barring an unforeseen event, Messi – who has yet to speak in public since the national team assembled for the World Cup around two weeks ago – will earn his 200th cap against Les Fennecs.
“There’s nothing negative to say,” Scaloni said. “He’s always been there and he’s essential for us. He’ll stay that way.”
Everyone wants to be part of the Messi mania
Tapash Chakraborty, the 57-year-old owner of an engineering design firm, posted inside a Kansas City bar on Monday hoping to catch a glimpse of an Argentine player at a meet-and-greet held about 24 hours before the game.
He had someone in particular he wanted to see.
“Messi is Messi,” said Chakraborty, who will be in the stands on Tuesday. “He is the god of football.”
He wasn’t alone either. The venue was littered with Messi shirts, just as the streets have been in the early days of the World Cup. His famous number 10 is ubiquitous, whether it’s on his old Barcelona shirt, his current Inter Miami kit or that of the national team.
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“We’re all Messi fans. He’s the best player in the world,” said Michelle Lemmon, who on Monday made the 100-mile (257.50 km) drive with her four children from her home in Kirksville, Missouri, to Union Station in Kansas City to celebrate her 42nd birthday.
Lemmon, who played college soccer at a Catholic school after captaining the boys team at his high school, will cheer on the United States throughout the tournament. But her dream match, Lemmon said, would be for the Americans to face Argentina in the final.
“It’s hard. You have to like him,” Lemmon said. “I’m nervous that this might be his last World Cup, so we’re very excited. Honored that they chose Kansas City as their home base. To have the World Cup champions here, you know, from 2022 is great.”
Messi is looking to join Pele as a repeat World Cup champion
The list of the greatest soccer players in history often begins with Messi and ends with Pele, the Brazilian star who not only took Brazil to the World Cup, but was instrumental in developing the game in the United States during his time with the New York Cosmos.
What would bind the two even closer? Argentina successfully defends its title.
Only twice before has a nation been a repeat winner of the World Cup. Italy did it in the 1930s and Brazil did it in 1962 when, despite an injury to Pele in the group stage, Canarinho went on to beat Czechoslovakia in the final in Chile.
France almost made it three repeat winners but denied Argentina four years ago in a shootout in Qatar.
“What happened back in Qatar was just amazing. The whole country united,” recalled Messi’s long-time national team-mate Nicolas Otamendi. “We have that etched in our minds and it just gave us the strength to keep trying. There is no relaxation. We have to keep working with the level of humility required in these types of competitions.”
There are few superstars more humble than Messi, who Otamendi described as “a simple man who just focuses on training.”
“He is also a competitive animal,” Otamendi said. “You want to be there with him, supporting him, serving him and laughing our hearts out all the time. Like I said, when the ball is rolling, that’s when you have to push, unite and come together as a family on the field.”
Report from the Associated Press.
