Messi's Magical Journey: Argentina's Eternal Hero

 Messi's Magical Journey: Argentina's Eternal Hero

Lionel Messi of Argentina, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA are seen in the trophy presentation after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar.(Image-Getty)

Roberto Fontanaroza wrote about some friends in his story 'An Argentine Heaven'. Those who one day gathered at a barbeque party to discuss football and suddenly realized that they were all dead. But even after this sudden death, everyone is very happy. Because, they believe, when people discuss football while eating burnt meat, it means they are in heaven.

  From this story of Funtanaroza, the love and madness of Argentines with football can be guessed to some extent. It is just a story but sometimes the reality surpasses even these stories. When a country that has been without a World Cup for 36 years is clamoring for the coveted trophy, they have to create some such stories. Because people keep their existence alive through these myths and fables. Keep your own culture. Because, they also believe that one day the days of fairy tales will end. The day reality becomes more than a fairy tale.

A similar night happened exactly one year ago in the life of Argentines. It was an amazing night in Doha, Qatar. That night has brought a strange satisfaction every day for 12 months to the lives of Argentine citizens and their supporters worldwide. As if that one night will never end for some people from the chest of the world. And after that night, a man became an eternal and forever bright star in that 'Argentine Heaven'. That man's name is Lionel Messi. Argentinian Football – Before there was a star in the sky. A wizard named Diego Maradona reigned for 36 years. But since December 18, Messi has become eternal with "King Diego".

Messi was willing to bet his life in the hope of winning a World Cup. What to do, except for the gold trophy of 6 thousand 175 grams, Rosario's golden son was questioned by many! Like a crusader, he has plowed through Europe, Africa and even his own continent in the hope of winning a World Cup. But instead of gold trophies, mirages like La Mancha's "Don Quixote" have caught everywhere. Finally came to Asia for the last time. Now or never. If you don't win, instead of becoming an eternal hero, you will only get the status of a tragic hero.

Asia did not return Messi, Qatar did not return. The story of a wonderful night is written there. And that's how an ordinary day, December 18, became immortal on the pages of the calendar, in the history of Argentina and world football.

The question is, did Messi ever want such a 'roller coaster' life? He wanted a luxurious life like the people slowly drifting down the Paraná River. Wanted to celebrate leper day with friends and blow the life away. According to Juan Villoro, the author of the book "God is Round", as a person he was the exact opposite of the national character of the Argentines. For those who can spend their whole lives relying on one tango, Messi was not like that.

His life lacked much of the melodramatic way of life of the Argentines. Even when he went for a tattoo, he didn't choose the face of Che Guevara or any famous person like Maradona. He chose his mother's face. Every time after a goal he looked up at the sky remembering Nani. So simple.

But life was different from this quiet man. Life throws him into a strange fight. The fight that he first had to start from the beginning of life. But that hormonal problem is like a curse. Which took him to Barcelona's La Masia. After that the rest is a story of never looking back. There were many thorns embedded in the body of the story. Messi dragged his life for almost 36 years to pick up those thorns. That age is almost the same as Argentina not winning the World Cup. In the end, by winning the World Cup and freeing himself, Messi has brought a taste of liberation to the Argentines.

Recently, a teaser for the documentary 'Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend' on Apple TV Plus can be heard saying, 'Messi is Argentina, Argentina Messi.' Literally since December 18, 2022, this has been the case. Argentina and Messi seem to have come together.

Argentinians who once questioned Messi's patriotism flocked to the streets of Buenos Aires to catch a glimpse of Messi. It was proposed to name the city in Rosario after that Messi. The story of 'Messi and his suitcase' was played on Argentinian radio. In the story in which famous Argentinian writer Hernán Cassiari said, 'There are two types of immigrants.

There are those who arrive in Spain and put their suitcases up in the cupboard and those who leave them outside. The second group are those people who cannot forget their roots. Messi is one of that second group. who keeps his gaucho accent intact.'

Messi and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo got teary-eyed when they heard this story on the radio in Rosario. Maybe Messi saw the whole life through this story. Such is life. Who knows if Messi's story would have been like this if he didn't win the World Cup. Messi has to carry the pain of not winning the World Cup in 2014 until 2022. If Qatar didn't get the trophy, maybe that pain would have accompanied him for the rest of his life. But the man who had mesmerized football for two decades, football did not want to return him empty-handed. Explained everything before going. So Messi can now say, I have no desire for football.

However, one day after getting stuck in the bathroom, Messi broke the door and came out with the desire of his favorite bicycle. "When he starts playing, there's no way of knowing where," Villoro wrote