Argentina have finally fallen in love with Lionel Messi ahead of the World Cup

  • Guillem Balague believes Argentina have fallen in love with Lionel Messi
  • The Barcelona star is often referred to as 'The Catalan' by Argentine fans
  • Fans believe Messi doesn't play as well for his country as he does for Barce
  • Messi, 27, is now at the peak of his powers for the 2014 World Cup

By Guillem Balague

Published: 17:21 EST, 13 June 2014 | Updated: 03:20 EST, 14 June 2014

This is the tournament that will see Lionel Messi, at the age of 27, at his peak. 

Argentina have traditionally felt more comfortable when the tournament is played on their continent. They aim to win it. In their biggest rivals’ backyard. For Messi, this is his World Cup.

The team revolves around Messi, although with team-mates in attack such as Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel di Maria, Argentina are the Real Madrid of national teams: they enjoy playing on the break, with pace.

Now or never: This summer's World Cup is the tournament which will see Lionel Messi at his peak

Now or never: This summer's World Cup is the tournament which will see Lionel Messi at his peak

 
 

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Absolutely everything has been done to ensure Argentina, and Messi, arrive as serious contenders, including the appointment of a new coach.

Despite a 4–1 win against Spain in September 2010, then manager Sergio Batista failed to combine the footballing growth of ‘The Flea’ with a team that worked. He failed in the Copa America held in Argentina in 2011,  losing to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

Alejandro Sabella came in and lifted spirits without making too much noise. The four forwards (Messi, Di Maria, Aguero and Higuain) had been developing an understanding and would be sure starters. And in midfield, a combination of Javier Mascherano’s tactical discipline and Fernando Gago’s touch made them leaders on and off the pitch.

Serious contenders: Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella talks tactics with Messi during Friday's training session

Serious contenders: Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella talks tactics with Messi during Friday's training session

STAT ATTACK

In 571 minutes of World Cup football Lionel Messi has scored just one goal.

Messi had Gago behind him and Aguero as his partner up front in both his titles with Argentina (Under 20 World Cup and the Olympic Games). They were reunited under Sabella.

Messi, alongside team-mates who were on the same wavelength, began playing with  freedom. He started becoming Barcelona’s Messi.

‘The only thing I said as soon as I joined the national team was that he had to be left in peace,’ says Sabella. ‘He once missed a penalty and it was as if an asteroid had struck the Earth. Please! 

‘Then they started, “What if he’s depressed...what’s happening to Messi?” It turns out that he scored five goals in the  following two matches. We have to understand that Messi is a human being.’

Sabella heeded advice from Pep Guardiola, the former Barcelona coach: ‘Protect him with players who make his job simpler.’ And make him feel loved, he added. With that in mind, the new coach gave Messi the captaincy.

Former captain Mascherano says: ‘I was the one who gave it to him. I told him I would no longer be captain. I told Messi he had to be captain because of everything he represented for us.

All smiles: Javier Mascherano (right) shares a joke with Fernando Gago, Maxi Rodriguez and Angel di Maria

All smiles: Javier Mascherano (right) shares a joke with Fernando Gago, Maxi Rodriguez and Angel di Maria

‘He was saying, “No! How? You are the captain!” and I was saying to him, “No, Leo, it has to be you”.’

Captaincy suited Messi. That is if you ignore his early team talks. Barcelona’s Gerard Pique recalls: ‘He told me that in Argentina they have a tradition of captains giving speeches before each match. When it was his turn, he said, “There is no speech today. Come on, let’s get on the pitch!” In his first match as captain!’

Argentina team news

But, according to Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta, Messi gradually adapted to the responsibilities. ‘At the beginning he would speak to us on a more individual basis,’ says Zabaleta, ‘but now he says, “This is Argentina, let’s go for it from the start, remember the importance to the country”.’

Every king needs a coronation and Messi’s came on a very hot day in Barranquilla, Colombia. Argentina had already lost to Venezuela and drawn with Bolivia in their World Cup qualifiers. Then Colombia scored. 

‘That match, when we came back with a spectacular second-half performance by Lionel, was key,’ remembers Argentine writer Eduardo Sacheri. ‘He made us win. It was epic: a Messi who can give no more, dying from the heat, on the brink of exhaustion...and he turned it around. We love those stories.’

At that moment Argentine society became reconciled with Leo. His performances under Sabella (20 goals in 22 games, when under previous coaches he had scored 17 in 61) matched those of the team. Messi,  Di Maria, Higuain and Aguero scored 90 per cent of  Argentina’s goals in qualifying.

The idea of not winning in Brazil does not enter Messi’s head. It eats away at him that, although he feels he is No 1, he has not yet made history.

High spirits: Messi laughs as Argentina team-mate Mascherano falls to the ground during training

High spirits: Messi laughs as Argentina team-mate Mascherano falls to the ground during training

‘If we come back after the quarter-finals they will lambast him again,’ reflects Sacheri. 

‘If he wins, maybe Diego (Maradona) will move aside. Or we put both on the altar, father and son. The advantage of Christianity is we can love more than one divine personality.’

Now that Messi has got used to being Messi, his goal is to win the World Cup. As if it were written in the stars.

 

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if he wins the world cup still wont b the greatest, maradona played 4 napoli and made them great won the world cup single handed.,Ronaldo(brazilian)has played 4 other teams and always did well shud hav had 2 world cups,zidane woz an artist of the game won the big trophies , pele, maradona, Ronaldo, zidane always played great 4 there countries in every tournament , Messi has only performed well in la liga and champions league , gud player but needs 2 go 2 different league if he is the greatest

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I think this is going to be messis world cup its in south America and i think he's been saving his best for this,he's the best player there's ever been imho and i think he'll prove that by winning the world cup for Argentina

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I would love to see a South American Team win the World Cup this year! Argentina look strong on paper... And btw, wasn't Argentina already in love with this little man?! Wasn't he already carrying a nation's hopes in the last World Cup? In the last Confederations Cup? In the last South American Championship? Stupid Article.

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First, nobody ever refered to him as "the catalan", even if most people didn't like him back then. Second, yes most people has started to like him after the 2014 world cup qualifiers, because let's face it nobody cares about Barcelona, people wanted Argentina to win and we weren't winning. Coming out of the qualifiers as the best team of South America and beating Brazil with his goals helped him a lot.

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Its Messis world cup! Its messis time to declare himself as the greatest ever!

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Messi is better than Maradona. He does not score with his hands and go off jumping in celebration. He does not sulk if he did not get the free kick. And he does not dive on the ground every time he loses possession, which is not very often. His record, outside of the WC is already far better. Remember Maradona was supposed to be king in 82. He was invisible. In 86, he should have been shown a red card and the goal disallowed against England. How that would have changed history if the right thing was done! Messi is a better player and a better person. He will be great in 2014.

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I'm gonna be cynical and say Maradona never took growth hormone, a known performance enhancer. Noone knows for sure when Messi stopped taking HGH, but Xavi his Barca teammate took a prescribed course just to accelerate healing from an ankle injury. If you ask me that's manipulation.

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Love him or hate him, that second goal versus England is probably one of the best goals of all time...pure talent and skill on display...even Gary Lineker felt like applauding an opponent! (His words, not mine)

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I think Argentina or Germany will win the World Cup.

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Awesome forward line if they get off to a good start they can make the final as their draw has been kind

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Messi is 26 not 27...

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