Commentary: Argentina's Messi Worship Became Its Downfall

Argentina's deep affection for Lionel Messi, while a source of past triumphs, ultimately became a crippling weakness in the World Cup final, the commentary suggests.

For years, Messi served as Argentina's focal point, its protector, and savior. The system meticulously constructed around him led the team to victory in the Copa América and the World Cup, followed by another continental championship. However, in the final at the New Jersey stadium, this same system transformed into a "prison."

The recently concluded World Cup marked Messi's final appearance on the grandest stage, an attempt to rewrite a narrative that had already found a perfect conclusion four years prior. At 35, Messi achieved his career's ultimate prize, the World Cup title he had long sought. He fulfilled the objective around which his national team career had been built, leaving him with nothing left to prove.

Yet, Argentina, the football world, and FIFA seemed unwilling to let Messi's heroic journey end. He stepped onto the biggest stage for a sixth and final time, a narrative appealing to FIFA and its sponsors, symbolized by Adidas's "El Último Tango" (The Last Tango) themed shoes for the final. Messi, at 39, tried to turn back time, aiming for a second consecutive World Cup and elevating Argentina alongside Brazil. This time, however, the quest carried a more tragic tone; he wasn't seeking something missing but trying to hold onto something inevitably fading.

Argentina's efforts to reverse time were evident. Days before the final, Messi's nutritionist and personal trainer revealed to L'Équipe how his speed had improved between the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, increasing from 29.38 km/h to 32.5 km/h. These figures fueled the narrative of Messi defying time. The final, however, revealed the truth. The commentary also touches upon the controversy surrounding refereeing decisions in Argentina's matches, with accusations of favoritism and "VARgentina" trending on social media. Despite the lack of concrete evidence and FIFA's denial of any conspiracy, the perception persisted that external forces aided Messi's team whenever they seemed on the verge of elimination.