The Little Boy From Rosario, Lionel Andres Messi
Whether or not you’re a Messi fan, doesn’t the looming specter of his retirement cast a somber shadow? Time inexorably marches him in the wrong direction of his thirties, and the day he bids farewell to his boots draws nearer with each passing moment.
Didn’t you remember the day you read, “The new Maradona emerges?” Bangladesh, yet untouched by the internet era, still basks in the glow of Ronaldinho’s La Liga reign at that time. There, captured in the newspapers, is the enduring image of Messi perched upon Ronaldinho’s shoulders after netting his debut goal for Barcelona. It’s a snapshot that endures, etched in memory.
Among the legions of Argentina’s faithful, one question echoes: Will this lad, nurtured in Spain, don the revered Argentina jersey? Messi dispels all doubts. Like Diego Maradona before him, he cut his teeth at Newell’s Old Boys, graced Barcelona’s stage, and mirrored Maradona’s debut against Hungary. Such parallels demand destiny’s embrace!
His World Cup debut saw a goal scored, yet fate denied Messi in the quarter-final clash against Germany. Regrets linger: What if Messi was on the field that day during the game?
A hat-trick in El Clasico leaves an indelible impression. Beyond Ronaldinho, the denizens of Bangladesh find themselves roused from slumber to witness Messi’s artistry. With the iconic number ten adorning his back, Messi’s scalp surrenders to time’s relentless march. After completing the Hexa-mission, Messi proves he stays. Another World Cup looms; Diego watches from the sidelines. Can even God rescue this team from woeful football? No, another German heartbreak.
Europe becomes Messi’s stage, where records fall like dominoes. Midfield maestro turned striking savant — has football ever witnessed such mastery?
Yet another World Cup beckons. Messi is a son of Argentina, or so the narrative goes. He carries his team to the brink of glory — yet again, another 120 minutes of German heartbreak. Every Messi fan still remembers those lines from Peter Drury’s poetic commentary on behalf of Lionel Messi before taking the free kick in the FIFA World Cup Final 2014:” The little boy from Rosario. He had done it many times. Now, he must score. Can he?.” But in the end, the golden ball is not a World Cup.
Two Copa finals, two tears shed. Messi’s anguish mirrors that of his devoted fans. The weight of expectation rests heavy on him. And yet, he rises again. Messi’s focus shifts from club to country, infused with newfound conviction. Defeat in the Copa against Brazil, yet he bites back, claiming injustice.
Next year, the Maracanã bears witness — no World Cup, but a trophy finally embraced. The world holds its breath. Perhaps Messi stands alone as the player whom the world has awaited to see one day with a world cup since he first touched a ball — the dream. Little Messi has matured and is cherished in the hearts of Argentine’s fans.
This time in Qatar, Argentina is going to the World Cup as a favorite. Those who have been following Messi day and night, if they see Messi really winning the World Cup, all the sadness, unsatisfaction of life will be erased in that one event. Whether or not you’re a Messi fan, don’t you want the odds to be true?
Written in October, 2022.
