Give it to Messi and pray. Now. Tomorrow. The day after. Tonight, especially tonight. Give it to him and pray. As you’ve done for the last 18 years, touching on two decades.
Give it to him and pray. When the lights are way too bright and dizzying and the pressure is off-putting. The weight of the jersey is suddenly too heavy. The swing of the boot faces unaccounted resistance.
Give it to him and pray. The clock is standing still, 90 minutes stretching on to infinity. Injury time has taken a life of its own. Give it to him and pray. In the middle of all trials and tribulations. Above conundrum, clamour, cacophony. An entire nation with its army of 40 million is hoping and believing. Dismissing fears, doubts, and concerns of ‘is this it?’
Rebelling by design, by both compulsion and choice that the story doesn’t end here. One minute of genius is all it takes to remain alive.