Lionel Messi’s post-World Cup final tears illustrate the belated but beautiful bond Argentina’s icon discovered with his homeland
Indeed, Messi’s change of heart and the arrival of Scaloni in the dugout are undoubtedly two of the most significant moments in Argentina’s modern footballing history.
It would be a slow burn, with the manager a deeply unpopular appointment in some quarters while coming under intense scrutiny following the failure to claim the 2019 Copa America, but over the course of the ensuing few years, Scaloni would turn the tide of opinion and transform an underachieving side into an unstoppable force that was greater than the sum of its parts, in large part due to the huge bonus of having Messi in attack.
Scaloni’s own words pretty much sum up his successful approach: “Football is about heart, gut instinct and never giving up.”
A 36-game winning streak would incorporate the end of Argentina’s 28-year wait for a major trophy at the 2021 Copa America, as Scaloni’s men defeated fierce rivals Brazil in the final. Messi, of course, was at his best, hauling his country to victory by playing a part in 75 percent of their goals at the tournament, aged 34.
Messi and Argentina carried that momentum into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, famously prevailing over France on penalties to lift the trophy for the first time in 36 years, despite an inauspicious start to their quest for glory where they were beaten by Saudi Arabia. The Flea was inevitably instrumental in their success, racking up 10 goal involvements and netting twice in the final to crystallise his status as the greatest footballer of all time.
This was one hell of a redemption arc, as Messi went from retirement to world champion and ‘completing football’ in the space of six years. That remarkable turnaround solidified what had become an unbreakable bond with the national team and their fans around the world.
