Lionel Messi's magical World Cup falls just short of repeat | OneFootball

By Charles Boehm

In the end, it was a bridge too far.

A second consecutive FIFA World Cup title – something still only achieved twice in this tournament’s century-long history – eluded Lionel Messi’s grasp in East Rutherford, N.J. Sunday afternoon, his Argentina narrowly denied 1-0 by a meticulous, relentless, superbly-drilled Spain over 120-plus tense minutes of breathless cup-final soccer.

It’s an agonizing end to his sixth World Cup, and the weight of it all seemed to settle on him after he received his runner-up medal postgame, tears running down his face as his country’s legions of sky blue-and-white-clad supporters serenaded him en masse.

One of one

Even in defeat, it was clear to them and everyone else just how special Messi is, how remarkable his unparalleled run of excellence has been. All of us who’ve watched him over the past quarter-century will have our own favorites among the many moments of magic he’s created, and the overwhelming array of statistics inspires further awe.

His 8g/4a in eight matches this summer ranks second only to tournament Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé, and takes his career total to an unmatched 21g/12a. Those 33 goal contributions are the most among all individuals in World Cup history; he tops the all-time assists column as well.

Messi has made the most appearances in World Cup history (34) and notched the most wins (23). He’s made the most appearances in the World Cup knockout rounds, and in those appearances, he’s tallied the most goal contributions and assists. He’s the first player to start in three finals, and the first to captain three finals.

No one but Messi has won the World Cup’s Golden Ball (MVP) trophy twice (2014 and 2022), and though Spain’s excellent engine-room technician Rodri got the nod this year, Messi was in the hunt until the very end. His 15 World Cup Player of the Match awards are also an all-time high. And though Mbappé eventually surpassed him later in the tournament, Messi became the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s World Cup history with his brace in a 2-0 win over Austria last month.

Spain dominance

Spain’s impeccable defensive organization won out on this day, La Furia Roja limiting Argentina to a mere two shots all game, neither of them on target. They finish the tournament with just one single, solitary goal conceded across their eight matches, Charles De Ketelaere’s goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal win over Belgium. At no point in those eight matches did Spain trail on the scoreboard.

Yet just like the rest of the footballing planet, Sunday’s victors paid tribute to the icon across from them.

“For me, this was the most difficult World Cup ever. And we beat an Argentina side who have all my respect, and have the best player of all time,” said Rodri.

"Something incredible"

There are even more records to contemplate, mind you. Messi holds the record for most matches with both a goal and an assist. He’s even scored more goals from outside the penalty box than anyone else. Perhaps most unreal of all is the longevity he displayed in achieving all this, for this long, evolving his game as he aged: He’s the only player in world history to score World Cup goals in his teens, 20s, and 30s.

That’s the element Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni – a teammate of Messi’s back on the Albiceleste’s 2006 Mundial squad – singled out for particular homage amid Sunday’s heartache.

“He’s 39 years old, guys,” marveled Scaloni in Spanish in his postgame press conference. “It’s something incredible.”

No one, not even Messi himself, it seemed, expected him to still be this unstoppable at this point in the journey. Part of the powerful emotional cocktail of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar was the widespread sense that it was his last chance to lead his nation to glory, having lost the 2014 World Cup final and two Copa América finals in gutting fashion – one of them in the very same stadium as Sunday's affair.

Legendary legacy

Some sneered at his decision to leave Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami the following summer, writing him off as a retiree-in-waiting. Yet three years on, he’s transformed perceptions of MLS both inside and out, leading the Herons to a hard-fought MLS Cup win last autumn – their third trophy of his paradigm-shifting tenure – and using that as a springboard to power into this World Cup in such devastating form.

He’s still the GOAT, and he proved it once more this summer, if there really was any lingering debate left about his status. As Argentine pundit Martin Idaberry phrased it in the aftermath of Sunday’s game, “Lionel Messi defeated the most unbeatable rival in history: time.”

We still don’t know if this really was his World Cup swan song. Who would dare assume as much, given what he’s pulled off over the past four years? But if this really is goodbye, Leo Messi left on his feet, his legacy stronger than ever.

And now it’s on the rest of Major League Soccer to figure out how to catch him.