Diego Maradona is probably the biggest enigma football has known in its history. He was regaling local audiences by the age of 5, and became a subject for national news before he could sign a cheque.
In the most damning visuals from Spain’s 6-1 recent demolition of Argentina, Leo Messi was seen walking off inside from the stands, unable to witness his national team getting massacred anymore.
In about seventy days time, he will be leading the same group out in Russia, in hope of retribution for the silver medal he had to put around his neck four years back. Part fortunate to even have tickets to the World Cup, the Argentina national team are far from the image of confidence and inspiration you’d otherwise expect them to be.
If there’s one blot on Messi’s otherwise colossal career, it’s this lack of silverware in national team colors. After losing a third consecutive final with Argentina in that wretched 24-month streak between 2014 and 2016, Messi had contemplated walking away from international football, even if for a very brief moment. It took his country a lot of pleading and begging to set his mind straight. One would imagine Russia will be his final attempt at scaling the Everest, and he doesn’t have very many sherpas around him. Many have made the steep climb, and Messi certainly won’t be the first from the banks of River Plate to haul the ropes alone.