The Day Messi Fulfilled His Dream

                                    The Day Messi Fulfilled His Dream

 July 14, 2014. Argentina vs Germany world cup final match at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The last minute of the 122 minutes match. The score was Argentina -0, Germany -1.Messi got a free kick. 

“The little boy from Rosario, Argentina


 on behalf of the every little boy wearing his shirt
Messi on  a million backs

Messi for a million flashbulbs
One kick of the Ball, one kick of the football

He has done it before ,He has done it many time before Nou camp
Around Spain, around Europe

He has done it brilliantly for his nation in this competition
He must do it now, Messi must.

Leonel Messi no no no no no it’s got away it’s got away
Gray day for him for them”
                                  picture: Messi's last minute free kick against Germany
                                        


This commentary of Peter Drury shows how important the free kick was for Messi. This commentary still hits me. 

December 18, 2022. The day that people all around the world were waiting for. The world cup final match between the two big teams. Argentina vs France. They last met in the 2018 world cup quarter final match. Argentina lost the match 4-3 to France. They met again at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. I went to watch the match with my friends on the big screen. I was so nervous. Someone was cheering for Argentina and someone was cheering for France . I was the only Argentina fan among my friends there. So they all were teasing me and someone was giving me hope that Argentina would win because they were staying in the safe zone. The match started. Argentina was putting pressure towards France. In the 20th minute Dembele fouled Di Maria and the referee gave a penalty to Argentina. Messi had put Argentina 1-0 ahead in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot. The fans went crazy.  After 13 minutes Di Maria’s goal put our inner fears to rest. The way Argentina scored their second goal was incredible. The first half was on our side. I was happy with the way Argentina started the match. The second half started. I was having a good time and then the tragedy happened. France won a penalty in the 78th minute. Mbappe led France from the penalty spot. After  2 minutes  Argentina conceded another goal. The 23 year old Kylian Mbappe scored his second goal. The goal was a stunning volley following a clever interchange with Marcus Thuram.

                                    picture: Mbappe's stunning volley and celebration

I was shocked and panicked. It wasn’t meant to be. I sat down in despair thinking, is this the end? The match went into extra time. My whole body was shaking. But the greatest player of all time Lionel Messi didn’t take too long to give his country the lead. Messi comes to the rescue for Argentina. There were deafening screams from relieved Argentina fans after that Messi goal. I still couldn't be free of worry because the accident could happen again at any time. And the tragedy happened again. Montiel’s handball. France again won a penalty and it is Mbappe who will take the penalty. He shooted on the top left and Martinez elected the top right. Argentina and France remained tied. Shortly thereafter, the most terrifying moment of my life happened. Kolo Muani just ended the match. “Ice Cold.” Lionel Messi could do nothing  but watch on as Kolo Muani went one-on-one against Emiliano Martinez in the world cup final. This moment reminds me of the last minute goal by Mario Gotze during the world cup final 2014 between Argentina and Germany. I cried a lot at that time. Our savior Emiliano Martinez made a huge last minute save to deny Kolo Muani and keep Argentina in the world cup final.
                                picture: Emiliano Martinez last minute save

After that Argentina had a great opportunity to take the lead. The counter attack was smooth but Lautaro Martinez missed the best chance. The referee blew the final whistle. This 120 minutes was a mixture of pleasure and pain in my life. I was praying to god “Not this time, please.” The penalty shootout began. Mbappe will take the first attempt. He scored. The crowd was upset. Messi came to take his penalty shoot out. He went left and scored. My hands and feets were shaking badly. And then Emiliano Martinez again came to rescue Argentina with his god gifted hand. Coman went left and Martinez got behind it and punched the air with joy. Dybala scored. Martinez was playing mind games with Tcouameni to make him nervous and he fell into the trap. Tcouameni missed his chance. He went well wide to the goal as he tried to aim left. The crowd went crazy. Parades and Kolo Muani scored. Argentina -3, France -2. Montiel went to take his penalty shootout. If Montiel scores, Argentina will win the world cup , Messi will win the trophy that had eluded him his entire career. The whole world was watching. Messi was looking at the sky and saying “ It could be today, Grandma”.
                                picture: Messi's reaction before Montiel's penalty shootout

Montiel scored and Argentina won.  Messi had reached his destiny. I was happy and can’t describe in a sentence how happy I was. My sister called me and asked where I was. She also added that my father was celebrating the victory of Argentina. He was the man who introduced me to football, the team Argentina and the greatest player of all time Messi. During the 2014 world cup I saw every match with my father ,celebrated together and also cried together in the final between Argentina and Germany. The long waiting ended on 18 Dec,2022. Peter Drury’s commentary on Messi’s world cup winning moment:


“Lionel Messi has conquered his final peak. Lionel Messi has shaken hands with paradise. The little boy from Rosario, Santa fe, has just pitched up in heaven. He climbs into a galaxy of his own. He has his crowning moment and, of course, he is not alone.

                                    picture: Messi shaking hands to the paradise

He was beautiful. He was the point of difference. He has always been the point of difference. Unparalleled , and maybe today there will, of course, always be those who argue, always be those who debate. And the debate could rage on if you like.
But as he falls in love with the object in the world that his heart most desires, it is hard to escape the supposition that he rendered himself today, the greatest of all time.”
                                        picture: World cup winning moments


Messi taught me how to reach the goal despite repeated defeats, how to prepare yourself and how to win people’s hearts. Messi really shook his hands to Paradise. God please save the king.





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