Messi dreams and so does Argentina

“My last opportunity to make my dream,” Lionel Messi said, quickly replacing a word, “our dream a reality.” That dream is a FIFA World Cup title that has eluded one of the greatest footballers to have ever put foot to ball. And Messi takes his fifth, and likely the last, shot at glory for him and his country in Qatar starting on Tuesday as Argentina take on Saudi Arabia in their Group C opener.

After years of near-misses and heartbreaks, this might well be the World Cup that defines the legacy of Messi, 35. Visuals of a distraught Messi may still be fresh from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany in the final. He briefly chose to walk into retirement from international football, only to come back for the 2018 World Cup. Argentina were knocked out by France in the Round of 16, with Messi failing to inspire the troops and scoring all of one goal throughout the campaign.

Last year, Messi led the team to its first major tournament victory in 28 years as Argentina beat hosts Brazil in the Copa America final. Argentina come into the World Cup surrounded by an air of optimism, with Lionel Scaloni’s side stringing together a 36-match unbeaten run. Messi will also become the first player from Argentina to feature in five World Cups; Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano played in four.

Expectations are as high as the spotlight on Messi and his troops. And the man wants to relish that.

“We just won a tournament (Copa America) and obviously it helps; you work in a different way. You don’t feel as anxious. It doesn’t put as much pressure on you. We just focus on enjoying our time with the national team,” Messi said.

Argentina couldn’t have asked for an easier opening test. At 51st, Saudi Arabia are the second lowest-ranked team in the tournament and have managed to reach the Round of 16 just once in their World Cup history so far.

What could make things slightly tricky, however, for Argentina and Messi is dealing with the heat of the afternoon game. It remains to be seen how much time Messi spends on the park against a relatively weaker opponent in a hot afternoon game at the Lusail Iconic Stadium, and how Scaloni uses his weapon.

To add to the suspense, Messi was reported to have skipped training on Friday and Saturday. The Argentine football association termed it as “muscle overload”, but Messi himself dismissed any concerns, saying he was “very well physically, in good condition”.

“I have no issues whatsoever. I heard there were rumors about having to miss part of the training… no, it’s just precautions. Nothing strange or out of the ordinary,” Messi said on Monday.

“I haven’t done anything different, I just took care of myself. I have worked as I have done throughout my entire career. This is a special moment, most likely my last World Cup. My last opportunity to make my dream, our dream a reality.”

It’s a dream shared by many others around the globe. Even those sitting in opposition camps. Like Luis Enrique, the current Spanish coach and former Barcelona manager when Messi was part of the club.

“If Spain don’t win the World Cup, I would like Argentina to win it because of Messi,” Enrique said on Twitch a few days ago. “It would be unfair for Messi to retire without winning a World Cup.”

Robert Lewandowski, the present strike force at Barcelona, termed Argentina “one of the favourites for the whole World Cup” and Messi a legend. “He is a Barcelona legend. You see it all over the place being at the club,” the Polish forward said. “He is Argentina’s leader, one of the top players.”

And as their leader, Messi wants the young members of his Argentine team to enjoy the special moment. Although he knows too well it’s easier said than done.

“It’s very difficult to tell them that they must enjoy their time,” Messi said. “When I was young, I didn’t know how to enjoy. I just played and worried about the next game. But they should enjoy the people, the atmosphere as you never know if you will play another World Cup.”