In November of 2017 the Youtube channel COPA90 released a video based around Argentina’s two final qualifying games for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with interviews from passionate Argentinians on primarily the national team, Maradona and Messi. The video captured the emotions of the huge footballing country’s supporters as the Albiceleste in its last game against Ecuador made it through to the tournament after a hattrick from Lionel Messi. I watched this video alone while feeling extremely emotional, and after its end I found myself bursting into tears. Just as I was emotional, I was also confused as to exactly why I sat there in my lonesome crying. Even though I see myself as a somewhat sensitive person, I very rarely cry these days and you would not think a short football documentary would be what made the tears start flowing.
But then again, perhaps that is exactly what it would be. Football, and particularly FC Barcelona and Messi has been a huge part of most of my life, and this video touched me right in the feels. The video was without doubt very well made, the editing and music along with the dramatic ending of Argentina’s qualifiers created a feeling that I reckon would have given any football lover goosebumps. But there was something more, something more personal to me. Around halfway through the video, there was a fan at the Argentina-Peru game with a sign saying: ”I don’t want to live a life without seeing Messi win the World Cup”. Precisely that part made me feel the most emotional, as I then realized that I felt exactly the same as that supporter. That there is nothing else in my life that I want more than seeing Lionel Andrés Messi lift the golden World Cup trophy to the sky.
There has been quite a few discussions on the good old part of Twitter called FT in the past months, whether Barcelona supporters would rather want to win another treble or for Messi to win the World Cup with Argentina. As far as I have seen in a couple of polls, the Messi World Cup dream is slightly bigger for the majority of Twitter culés, and this has created a little bit of a controversy. Rival supporters has been ridiculing those who prefer Messi to win, and other Barça fans are claiming them to be fake fans, who care more about Leo than the actual team.
For me, personally, I would much rather see Messi win the World Cup than the team to win another treble, and I am not afraid to admit that. Does that make me a fake Barcelona fan? You tell me. In my opinion, it is not as black and white as saying there is Barça fans and there is Messi fans, because I am both. I love Barcelona with all my heart, but I would be lying if I told you I do not care much more for Messi than any other player or coach in the club’s history. I have literally grown up watching and idolizing him, and he has given me many of my happiest moments in an otherwise very ordinary life. It makes me happier if it is him who scores our goals, the victory feels much sweeter if he has had another masterclass and even though I try really hard not to, I to an extent care for the individual awards he has the potential of winning.
However, I would still say that I love Barça more than I love Messi, and that I will continue to support and care for the club even after Leo’s retirement (but with a bit less enthusiasm perhaps). Had you asked me to pick between a Champions League title for Barça or a World Cup for Messi at any time between 2006 and 2014 I would have picked that UCL trophy any day of the week. But here is the thing: I have already experienced those trophies and moments so many times that I do not feel the same desperate need for them anymore. Since I started following Barça we have won 2 trebles, 4 Champions League titles, 7 league trophies and 5 domestic cups amongst others. Messi with Argentina? Nada. Of course I still want Barça to win all titles at all times, but I would rather experience something new, and let the man in my heart win the most celebrated prize in football.
One reason for that is because it would confirm his undeniable status as the G.O.A.T. Many see him as the greatest ever already, including me, but the one thing the doubters always claim is that he ”has not done it with the national team”. Messi for Argentina is the all-time leading goal scorer, the top assister, has as captain led a relatively average side to three consecutive finals, and almost singlehandedly took them to the 2018 World Cup. To still doubt his efforts for the national team, if anything further proves his greatness to me, as the expectations on him are so incredibly high, that the only way he can silence these doubters is to win the biggest team trophy by himself.
My own biggest flaw is that I have always cared too much of what other people think of me. Because of my obsession and love for Messi this flaw can often extend on to him. When people doubt or criticize Messi, I often get so frustrated or ”triggered” it is as if someone personally attacked myself. I know that I should not care what stupid ignorant people say, and what I personally believe Messi to be is the most important thing. But I cannot help that it bothers me, and Messi silencing all the haters and winning the biggest prize of all would be incredibly satisfying. No more dumb comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo, and a World Cup would also mean that Lionel contains the only thing Diego Maradona and Pelé currently has over him.
But I suppose the biggest reason for wanting Leo to win it is because you just know how much it would mean to him. Despite his best efforts at Argentina and turning down the chance to play for Spain, his own home country has at many times doubted his dedication for the national team and people have claimed that he is not a true Argentine, after leaving for Catalonia at an early age. Messi has suffered four final losses with the Albiceleste, where three has come from extra time and penalties. It is no secret that winning something for his country is Leo’s own biggest desire, and therefore it is also mine.
The dream of Messi winning the World Cup has in fact turned into such a big desire for me to the point where it is almost ridiculous. The thought of getting that dream job, marrying the love of your life, or winning big money all sounds really nice of course. But Messi winning the World Cup though? The feeling in my stomach tells me that is far more attractive to me. I am Swedish myself but however amazing (and unlikely) it would be for my country to win a World Cup, it does not compare to my obsession of Messi winning it.
The obsession is to the point where I have lately started watching these rather absurd prediction videos from a guy on Youtube, where he in short claims sports to be rigged and predicts Argentina to win the cup based on relations in gematria and that God is essentially going to give it to Messi ”the Messiah” as a Jesuit tribute to him and the current Argentinian Pope. I am not religious myself, but at my current state I am willing to believe anything just to give me some hope for the biggest dream in my life.
So will it actually happen? Well, since I am a pessimistic realist, the most natural answer to me is no, it will not. Argentina has an average team with the exception of Messi and his fellow attackers, and the fact that they struggled to even get to the tournament in the first place speaks volumes. You can never say never though, as the 2016 Euro champions Portugal struggled hard as well and never really impressed anyone for example, yet in the end they stood as champions of Europe and Cristiano with a massive grin on his face. With Leo Messi in a better physical and mental state than arguably ever before, his team will always have a chance to win everything.
If he was to lift the World Cup trophy it would be such a symbolic event, where the greatest ever had to suffer for years before he finally received his award. It would sure be a real fairytale ending, and I am convinced that this is his last chance to make it happen. 2022 is a realistic possibility for the then 34 year old Messi, but Leo’s own expressions and quotes tells me that this summer we will see the last of him in the blue and white shirt, regardless of the results. So pray to whatever real or unreal Gods you believe in if you feel like me, and hopefully the footballing Messiah can get his hands on the finest trophy there is. Because I do not want to live in a world where Messi does not win a World Cup.
Henrik Lehmann 