When England opened the scoring against Argentina in the 55th minute of their World Cup semi-final in Atlanta last Wednesday, Lionel Andrés Messi switched from lead singer to conductor of the orchestra.
His pass to Enzo Fernández set up the equalising strike from distance. And then, in second-half added time, he evaded the attention of two defenders – Djed Spence and Nico O’Reilly – and placed a cross on the head of Lautaro Martínez, at the far post, for the winner. A cross with his weaker foot, his right. Placed with precision to land between Ezri Konsa and John Stones – either side of Martinez, and a good deal taller than he is. Breathtaking.
I support England, but not to the point of missing the story… a great player who assumed the responsibility of dictating the game rather than being the point of attack, because that is what his team required. He dropped deeper and shifted right. He didn’t need to be the star… he needed to make others shine.
We’re seeing Messi in a World Cup for the last time, and perhaps, at 39, the five-foot-five-inch wonder has one more glorious chapter left to write. If you’re reading this after 5.30pm today, Sunday, you’ll know if he succeeded. Spain, progressively more accomplished through each round of the competition, is a big hurdle.
Against England, Messi played the game in front of him. Crosses from wide, headers. English fare. He beat them at their own game. Spain will serve continental breakfast… more technical, with more passing and movement.
The Argentine captain will likely adjust, and whether he succeeds or not, one important argument is already settled. Former England captain Gary Lineker said on his podcast “The Rest is Football” that Messi underlined his status as football’s GOAT – Greatest of All Time. Lineker played against Diego Maradona and does not stop talking about his absurd skill level. He said it before, and again. Messi has surpassed Maradona and the great Pelé.
An England-Argentina matchup was bound to invoke history, and it did. The Falklands. Las Malvinas. Their 1982 war in the South Atlantic. Maradona’s 1986 “hand of God” goal in Mexico City. Argentine players celebrated on the pitch with a large banner proclaiming Argentine sovereignty over the islands. Some participating players, such as goal-scorer Fernandez and Lisandro Martinez, play for English clubs.
A good proportion of the UK press’s analysis of the game was critical of England’s German coach, Thomas Tuchel. He went on lockdown defence too early, was one widely held view. It’s misplaced for two reasons. One, in the 17 minutes between the goal and the first lockdown substitution, Argentina had 88 per cent possession. England couldn’t get out of their third.
Two, Lionel Messi. Britain’s England-supporting press suffers from Carly Simon syndrome. They think the song is about them. It isn’t. If only England coach Thomas Tuchel had or hadn’t made this or that change, they argued passionately and at length…
UK press coverage of big sports events regularly starts with the proposition that England/Britain would have won if they hadn’t made mistakes. Reporters often fail to recognise the arguments/merits of the other protagonist. On Wednesday, it took two to tango, and Argentina (who else?) were better at it. There was nothing that Tuchel could do once the GOAT decided to impose his will on the game and his leadership on his teammates.
Meanwhile, as football’s GOAT prepared for his date with history, the man widely acknowledged as the GOAT of cricket died at the age of 89. In 160 test innings over 93 tests, Garry Sobers failed to make it to 90 only five times after passing 80 runs. On Friday, Sir Garfield Sobers was given out, 11 days short of his 90th birthday.
In most contests, Sobers could bat better than the best batsman, bowl better than the best bowler (fast-medium, swing/seam and two types of spin), and was the best fielder on the park. He’s acknowledged up and down the cricketing world to be the best-ever all-rounder – but if he’d never bowled a ball in his life, he’d still be in the conversation for the best batsman of all time.
Sir Garfield, the great Barbadian, was one of the most illustrious sons of the Caribbean.
