BENGALURU: The world has never seen anything like him. The world will never see anything like him ever again. So, honestly, even if you have never supported him, it's never too late. For the vast majority of the last 20 years, it has been an utter privilege to be wowed by the magic of Lionel Andres Messi. There is no saying how much longer he has in the world game. It could end in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. It very nearly ended in the last 16 in a fever dream of a game against Egypt in Atlanta.
On an increasingly fraught afternoon for the world champions in Atlanta, The Pharaohs were up 2-0 and coasting to one of the great shocks in the history of the tournament before the 39-year-old — 39 — dragged the defending champions to his level. First was an assist, a clipped cross from the right-hand side which was headed home by Cristian Romero. In the 83rd minute, all that tension among the masses had evaporated in an outpouring of joy as Messi drilled a first-time left-foot shot home from close range.
Inside 300 seconds, one of football's greatest created as well as scored for yet more records. But talk about milestones can wait for another day. With their tails up, Argentina threw men forward as they had the momentum. And the game's winning goal promptly came thanks to a blistering counter; Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez combining to create it for Enzo Fernandez to score what turned out to be the winner in the second minute of injury time.
The Africans, playing to advance to their first-ever quarterfinals, contributed immensely to this game and will feel aggrieved that the VAR denied them a two-goal advantage early in the second half. It was a breath-taking goal with Mo Salah combining with Mostafa Ziko. However, the VAR had ruled that there was a foul just before the move started. Egypt, with belief pouring through their veins, scored a legitimate goal — one of the all-time great counter-attacking moves — shortly after to make it 2-0. That's when Messi decided to go supernova and raged against the dying of the light before Fernandez's third.
Post that moment, the three-time champions held on after defensive substitutions. Once they saw the game out, Messi, overcome with emotion, started weeping before embracing his teammates (there is an ongoing health issue with his father).
Before the drama truly started, though, Messi could have restored parity in the first half from the penalty spot but saw his spotkick saved; his second miss in succession in this tournament. It was perhaps apt that Messi's World Cup odyssey — his Argentina journey? — almost ended on the back of the only shot that has caused him a lot of distress over the last 15 years or so. A penalty from 12 yards.