Even if he doesn’t end the ongoing FIFA World Cup as the highest goal scorer; even if his team fails to defend the cup it won four years ago in Qatar, Lionel Messi has made a screaming statement as arguably the best thing to have happened to the game of football.
When a section of football analysts had thought Messi, then a 35-year-old, had seen his best and made his last appearance in his mundial history, he is back in the US and starting from the brilliant spot where he stopped in 2022, hitting back of the net in each of the Group J fixture, beating Algeria, Austria and Jordan, scoring three, two and one goal respectively in that order.
When he scored the hat-trick in the opener against Algeria, he matched the 16 goals record by a German Miroslav Klose. When he entered the second match against Austria, he scored a brace, two goals, which broke Klose’s record. His last free-kick goal against Jordan, as a substitute, increased his goals to 19 and placed him further ahead on the world cup highest goals chart.
Now, with an additional goal against the hard-fighting Cape Verde today in a high voltage encounter, ending in 3-2 for his team, Messi has hit his seventh in this tournament and 20th all- time world cup goals, also emerging the first player in football history to have reached the knock out stage in six consecutive world cups, reasserting his incredible presence at the world biggest football fiesta.
It was, thus, not surprising that Cape Verde players, after that near-upset encounter this morning, lined up to shake hands with Messi despite their defeat. The spectacle looked like a sigh of fulfilment to the Black Sharks to have shared a pitch with and played against the acclaimed Greatest Of All Time whose sensational goal against them left them in awe and utter disbelief.
It was just one genius move, completely selling a dummy to the Cape Verde very vigilant defenders with a one touch, connecting a thunderous strike.
For more emphasis, that Messi refused to step away from international football in 2022 after winning the World Cup speaks volume, obliterating record after record and becoming the god of football whose semblance might take another century to discover because of his intimidating statistics of being the player with most World Cup appearances (30) and the highest number of goals (20).
Also, in 2014, he won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player when Argentina lost in the final to Germany. He won it again in 2022.
*Messi, fierce, fearful but fearless*
Apart from his unmatched skills, notched together by his dribbling style, ball distribution and goal scoring ability, Messi is fierce and fearful in outlook but very fearless.
His countenance before every game always creates fears in the opponents’ camp. His look portends that of a lion, ever ready to roar and to destroy.
Literally, Messi is a player that seems different, he is like somebody not from this planet. He speaks with the ball, directs the ball and talks to the ball as if the round leather also reads his lip.
One astonishing thing about this foootball great is that he hardly gets injured. All that you can notice about him is, he gets done knocks, goes down and veggies you know it, he is back on his feet, looking for the ball.
His begining was touching; neither him nor his patents ever dreamt or could have ever thought that Messi will become a star, so idolized when it’s comes to the game of football.
*The Story of the starboy*
Born in 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. When he was 13 year old, he and his family moved to Barcelona, where the club assisted him in treating his growth hormone deficiency. He started playing for FC Barcelona U-14 team.
He thereafter rose through the ranks, impressing everyone with his exceptional skills and talent and at 17, he made his first appearance for the club and became a vital player for the Blaugranas.
The Rosario’snative relationship with Barcelona was very successful.
*A laudable achievement and gathering of laurels*
During his 17 year career with Barcelona,he helped the team win numerous titles, including 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League crowns, and sevenCops del Rey trophies.
He is also the all time La Liga leading scorer, with an incredible 474 goals to his name. He left the Spanish giants in 2021 to pitch tent with French side, Paris Saint Germain, where he played for two years before joining Inter Miami in the American MLS, where he is the captain of the team.
With his goal in Argentina’s hard fought 3-2 win over Cape Verde on Saturday morning, Messi has scored in eight consecutive World Cup matches, leading the scorers’ chat at the ongoing competition with seve.goals and has extend his total tally so far at the mundial to 20.
Sure, more to come from the Argentine star as he continues to propel his side in their bod to defend the trophy they won four years back.
Messi is the proud winner of a record eight Balloon D’or and four UEFA Champions League trophies, in addition to two French Ligue one title.
There is the likelihood that Messi is featuring at the mu dial for the last time, like some other top stars, including his main rival, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, but it will feel odd at the 2030 World Cup when, in all likelihood, he will not be playing.
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