Argentina's must-win game against Mexico looked to be heading for a draw until Messi's trademark strike altered the complexion of the game and possibly the whole tournament
intervention was all it took. The ball squared by Angel Di Maria was gathered and dispatched almost in the same movement. The familiar short back lift on the edge of the box sent it skidding past Guillermo Ochoa in the Mexico goal, an echo of so many of the 700-odd goals Messi has scored since he first moved among us at Barcelona 18 years ago.
Messi did not run faster at any point than he did in sprinting towards the supporters behind the goal. It was a moment of unexpected purity. The world knows time is slipping through his fingers. So much was resting on this match. The whole of Argentina is invested in the idea that Messi might deliver an epicmoment before his days are done. The love-in as his team-mates smothered him in gratitude and affection was freighted with meaning. It felt World Cup big.
The communion that followed with the fans was equally significant, a tender exchange between king and subjects. Their relationship has not always been straightforward. Messi has had to carry the burden of Diego’s Maradona legacy since his international debut in 2006. One Copa America, claimed behind closed doors last year, is all he has to show for a career of 167 caps. Defeat to Saudi Arabia in the opening group game loaded this fixture with jeopardy. Argentina simply could not afford to lose. The fans behind the goal were still chanting their gratitude half an hour after the teams had left the pitch, every one of them intoxicated by heady thoughts of what might come next.
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