THERE are many remarkable storylines at this World Cup, and intriguing subplots, but the one that stands out is a familiar one: Messi is owning the tournament.
He’s scored all five of Argentina’s goals in their opening two games, while still finding time to miss a penalty, and is now the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history. Speaking of all-time, there is no longer a GOAT debate. In truth, there never really was.
Messi has taken the beautiful game and added a whole new colour palette, a visionary perspective we’ve never seen before, and a mesmeric mastery of the ball that defies physics even more than Cristiano Ronaldo’s astonishing leaps.
We’ve witnessed the World Cup artistry of Diego Maradona, Pele, Johan Cruyff, and Zinedine Zidane, but even these greats have not recalibrated the essence of football as fundamentally as Messi.
Unlike Qatar, Messi looks relaxed here, freer, more content, as if delivering a joyful and virtuoso encore. My advice is to savour it, any kick-off time is worth it to watch Messi in this form.
For all that, I still don’t think Argentina will win it. The challenges to Messi and his supporting cast are greater this time round.
France are stronger for a start. And then there is Ronaldo’s Portugal.
They got off to a stuttering start with a 1-1 draw against the DR Congo, with Ronaldo misfiring, looking agitated, and a debate growing around whether he was more hindrance than help to his side.
There was plenty of pressure on Roberto Martinez’s men as they lined up against Uzbekistan, much of it carried by Ronaldo, who retained his place in the side as well as the full confidence of his manager.
Ronaldo could never be described as anything other than confident, but there must have been a tinge of relief mixed with the jubilation as he wheeled away for his customary “siu” celebration after opening the scoring with just six minutes on the clock.
It was a record-breaking goal as he has now scored at six World Cups, a claim that even Messi cannot make.
He added another goal as part of a 5-0 rout for Portugal. Rather bizarrely, he stayed on the pitch until the end of the game in search of a hattrick.
While I totally understand his desire to do so, it seems a questionable decision from Martinez not to give his 41-year-old striker a bit of a rest as well as provide some game time to other squad members, who will surely be called into action in due course.
I’ve no doubt that Ronaldo truly believes that he’s the GOAT. I’m equally sure it’s a delusion.
Nonetheless, it’s a useful delusion, the sort that drives a player to still be performing at that level at that age, to push himself in training as much as he did 20 years ago, and to keep chasing goals and dreams with unshakeable conviction.
Ronaldo is probably the greatest athlete that’s ever played the game. He’s one of the greatest and most consistent goalscorers we’ve ever seen – I think he will achieve 1,000 career goals before he finishes.
He’s a winner, a legend, and an icon. But he’s not Messi, because nobody is. A Portuguese friend told me a few days ago that public opinion in Portugal was turning against Ronaldo – admittedly this was before the Uzbekistan game – with a crescendoing clamour for him to be benched.
Doubts have likely been quelled rather than banished, and tougher tests lie ahead.
Elsewhere in this long, drawn-out group stage, England are trundling rather than motoring through their group.
An impressive opening win over Croatia was followed by a drab goalless draw against Ghana.
They still topped the group but will need to find more inventive ways through low blocks. A dollar for Cole Palmer’s thoughts.
It was a dull and rainy night in Boston as England laboured to a stalemate. The Scots had moved on of course from New England, and no Scotland, no party as they say.
I’m writing this before Scotland kickoff against Brazil in Miami in their final group game. By the time it’s read, we’ll have a better idea of Scotland’s chances of continuing at the World Cup party.
A narrow defeat would still mean quite a reasonable chance of going through as one of the best third placed sides. A heavier reverse could send the Tartan Army homeward.
It hasn’t been pretty from Scotland; few shots and a solitary goal. We don’t have a Messi. We don’t have a Ronaldo. No pressure Scott McTominay.
