Argentina & Messi FIFA Worlds Champs 2022: Guts & Glory for the Ages

Photos credits lost in the internet ether, Michelangelo’s God & David recreation by https://twitter.com/romegrfx

Greek tragedy stories are kid’s tales compared to the scripts of the Argentine Football Team & World Cups are used to endure. Not even Shakespeare can write a screenplay for the Live Drama we witnessed today. For world wide audience was already thrilling, for us Argies was another day in the suffering & pain office, which is the only way known in these lands. Heart attack driving games for the end of times guaranteed. No matter if you dominated the French side & Mbappe, the 2018 World Champs, up to the 78 mins of this Final Game.

It was Champagne Football, but the by the Argies till that minute. Just watch again Di Maria’s second goal… Faaaaaaa what a perfect one touch team play, one of the finest I’ve seen.
2 – 0 seems enough, but internally we all knew it couldn’t be that easy, never is, never will be.
Not even 1986 final with Diego where we were comfortably leading 2 – 0 for a later German tie and a final 3-2 Show. If that was one of the best final till now, well this 2022 was a awesome, spectacular, immense.

I told my kids after the 3-3 in the over time, that it seemed the Arg Team was playing against the Gods, a glance of the Iliad came to mind, where deities factions on the Pantheon favored each side. In this battle it was patent those above supporting the French side were doing a better work helping them to stay alive. 3 Times Arg players had to win this match, 3 times they pushed forward in spite of severe wounds afflicted by Mbappe’s talent. In the end Argies also had good caring friends in the Olympus, last save by Martinez at 123mins was too much to endure for any mortal.

Penalties were defibrillator material for fans, though a Master Class by Martinez and cold blood by Lio & Arg shooters.

Lucky enough to have witnessed Pasarella, Diego & Messi lift the ’78, ’86 & ’22 World Cups, happy for my kids to live this great experience.

This one we are much happy for the players themselves and for Messi. Many in the past and before Qatar said he ‘deserved’ the Cup, but it is not the way it works. One needs to want and fight hard for it at every second no pause, deserving is not decisive, showing high level resilience as done after first game lost with Arabia was a step forward. Same for all the following matches, same for the Quarters vs NED after another 2-0, same after this incredible Final.

Messi changed his mind and spirit from previous World Cups, that attitude was key, that Maradona spirit on the field ingredient was needed. He went for it, he run more than any other of his Finals or key matches with Barca or Arg, and was lucky enough to have such a unified and talented team behind, with Lionel Scaloni, the right humble leader, a player himself who can track back his coaching roots to the glorious Youth formation Pekerman era.
They all played for Messi’s glory and the Argentine Flag colors.

That immense drive and Gaucho balls, with stages of great play was rewarded with the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Playing this way is what we appreciate most, Batistuta never won a World Cup, but the heart he put in every game got him highest respect. Now Lio has closed past critics and in this Cup matches has earned his Guts badge himself, in the process he also achieved final Glory to close a perfect script.

Some will say its just a game, but not for Argentineans fans or players alike, at the stadium or here back home. Losing or winning is always a literal tragedy, this time with happy ending for us.
For a Land which once had a bright future, later many wasted opportunities, along a terrible present, Football World Cups put a smile on all of us, not a thing to minimize or brush aside.

What a story for Messi, specially his emphasis on Family, God & Country. A modern Myth, for the Ages he will be remembered. In the past we had epic sagas & tales from the Vikings and heroes from Greece. Modern times have have legends too, and Lionel Messi is now up there with Diego in the Football Olympus,

by his own Right.