Messi's back in the World Cup final. This time, he has a team around him
Lionel Messi monopolized the coverage after Argentina's semifinal win over Croatia. Pundits raved about his performance, how he openly challenged Josko Gvardiol and turned the best center-back at this World Cup into mincemeat, how he earned another shot at the only title he's missing.
The story's been about Messi all along. In his homeland, talk of the World Cup has both tortured his soul and hardened him. Now, it's in its final chapter. Win the final Sunday, and Argentina's prodigal son will have his fairy-tale ending. But the story isn't only his to tell. Messi's never had a stronger supporting cast in his entire international career, and to get to this point, Argentina's needed more than just the output of the World Cup's leading scorer.
Unlike Argentina's run to the 2014 World Cup final, which was a product of Messi's individual brilliance, La Albiceleste have embraced a more democratic approach to winning. Messi's teammates have taken on some of the burden that usually falls on his slumping shoulders, freeing the country's most indebted player from the crushing weight of expectation.
The results are clear for all to see.
"Personally, I'm very happy," Messi told reporters, including Reuters' Julien Pretot. "I'm enjoying it a lot and I'm happy that I'm able to help my squad make things happen."
His performances have certainly made a difference. Messi's 64th-minute goal against Mexico brought his country a sense of calm it desperately needed early in the group stage. Argentina had just lost to Saudi Arabia, and spent the first half against Mexico toiling for an opener. When nerves crept in, when Argentina's entire World Cup campaign felt at risk, Messi struck to break the tension.
If Messi kickstarted the campaign, his teammates carried the momentum. Julian Alvarez emerged from the bench to become a fixture in Lionel Scaloni's starting lineup, using his incredible hustle to win the ball back when his teammates lost control of it. Alvarez added speed and urgency to Argentina's attack, ensuring it didn't fall into the same lull that claimed Spain's pass-happy squad. He devoured the pitch in huge gulps and led Argentina's press from the front.
The backline has also held firm. Nicolas Otamendi and Cristian Romero, two trigger-happy center-backs who usually find happiness in chaos, embraced a style of defending typically beneath them, keeping their heads when Australia attempted to fight back in the round of 16 and when the Netherlands quite literally drew arms in the quarterfinals. Goalkeeper Emi Martinez cleaned up whatever mess was left over, denying Australia a late equalizer and saving the first of the Netherlands' two penalties in Argentina's eventual shootout win.
There were times when Scaloni had to intervene. When things became particularly testy, Scaloni dropped the suave Lisandro Martinez into defense to provide necessary relief. The 44-year-old coach substituted Lautaro Martinez, one of the pre-tournament favorites to finish as top scorer, for Alvarez when the attack seemed to stall, and he added an extra man to midfield as a preemptive measure against ball-hungry Croatia. Scaloni made several tactical adjustments on the fly, showing the flexibility required in a fast-paced tournament.
Scaloni also kept his team in check when hysteria threatened to take hold. He called for perspective when he learned assistant Pablo Aimar was on the brink of tears after Argentina's 2-0 win over Mexico and reminded everyone that, win or lose, the "sun will rise tomorrow."
His own eyes betrayed him Tuesday, welling up as he processed the emotion of reaching another final. Argentina's levelheaded manager said he tried not to get excited, but he's human, and that human bond didn't exist when he took the job in 2018, when Argentina's Football Association found itself embroiled in scandal and Messi had only recently called off his retirement from international duty.
The mood is healthier now, and the World Cup within reach. Argentina's been in this position before. But it feels different this time. Messi knows what it feels like to single-handedly drag the national team to the precipice of glory. That's not what's happened here.