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Let's leave Messi alone: the 'cold-chested' revenge
🇦🇷 Argentina /Sports

Let's leave Messi alone: the 'cold-chested' revenge

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Sources not specified Context piece
  • The article critiques the intense media scrutiny and pressure faced by Lionel Messi, comparing his situation to Diego Maradona's struggles.
  • It argues that the constant focus on Messi's emotions and performance, even during personal difficulties, is excessive and damaging.
  • The piece suggests that the immense weight of national expectation, coupled with criticism, has taken a toll on Messi, leading to moments of doubt and even a temporary retirement from the national team.

The intense media focus on Lionel Messi, particularly during Argentina's matches, is excessive and damaging, according to this article. It questions why the player is subjected to such relentless scrutiny, drawing parallels to the immense pressure that ultimately affected Diego Maradona.

"But why don't they leave him alone?" a man indignantly shouted, as a group of Argentines watched a match in a bar. The camera, the article notes, obsessively followed Messi's every move, focusing on his expressions and even his tears, as if he were solely responsible for the team's performance.

But why don't they leave him alone?

— Indignant spectatorExpressing frustration over the media's intense focus on Messi during a match.

The piece highlights how Messi is often blamed for the team's shortcomings, even when individual players score. This constant pressure, the article argues, is impossible to play under. It suggests that Messi feels culpable for the nation's struggles, a heavy burden exacerbated by Argentina's economic hardships and a yearning for triumphs.

I don't know how he endures it.

— Indignant spectatorCommenting on the immense pressure Messi faces.

This weight of expectation is compared to the unbearable burden that eventually broke Maradona. The article reflects on Messi's past struggles, including vomiting on the field due to anxiety and his temporary retirement from the national team in 2016 after losing the Copa América final. It posits that the relentless criticism, including being called "pecho frío" (cold-chested) and lacking Maradona's charisma, has eroded his will.

The article concludes by lamenting the lack of discussion about how extreme success can personally break individuals, especially at a level as astronomical as Messi's. It suggests that this phenomenon, often leading to tragic outcomes for megastars, is frequently overlooked.

How can one tolerate so much pressure? It's impossible to play like this. And on top of that, he feels guilty if we get eliminated.

— Indignant spectatorDescribing the unbearable pressure and Messi's perceived sense of responsibility.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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