With the World Cup spotlight on him, Lionel Messi won't make the final about himself
NEW YORK — Two days from the World Cup final — and two days from his almost certain farewell from soccer's quadrennial spectacle — Lionel Messi found himself in a helicopter sweeping over both the Hudson River and Friday's rush hour to attend a scheduled engagement.
Inside Javits Center, the major conference hub on Manhattan's west side, actor Kevin Hart, NFL legend Tom Brady and tennis star Novak Djokovic lobbed him questions. Fans packed into a theater to see Argentina's little wizard, shouting their love while holding up phones as if they were at a rock concert.
Never one to embrace the spotlight — and one more inclined to hide from it — Messi sheepishly waved to the crowd as if he were apologizing for the attention.
Come Sunday, the world, not just a few hundred ticketed fans, will turn its attention toward the 39-year-old superstar, who will lead Argentina against Spain at MetLife Stadium.
La Albiceleste will attempt to become the first team since Pelé's Brazil in 1962 to win consecutive World Cup trophies.
If Messi had any thoughts about such a feat Friday, he was not interested in sharing them. FIFA's news conference for the teams at Javits Center was to feature the respective coaches and captains. Spain's Luis de la Fuente and midfielder Rodri, as well as Messi's guide, Lionel Scaloni, attended, but Messi predictably ducked out. (Goalkeeper Emi Martínez took his place.)
He would just as soon speak with his magical feet.
Even so, Messi was a subject of conversation as he and Argentina brace for their third championship appearance in four World Cups. They lost in 2014 to Germany but prevailed four years ago, edging France in a shootout after a spellbinding 3-3 draw through 120 minutes in Qatar.
Scaloni said Messi is "the best footballer the world has seen. It is something beautiful, and being able to reach a final at 39 years of age, I think it is something unbelievable. That is why we must enjoy him as we did with Diego Maradona. We still miss him, but Messi is still with us. He is the legend, and together with this group he has brought us these wonderful years."
Asked whether Messi will make his final appearance in the iconic sky-blue and white jersey Sunday, Scaloni said, "Ask him. I don't have the foggiest idea, to be honest. I don't know what to answer. He doesn't stop surprising us."
At this World Cup, Messi has been better than ever. He is tied with France's Kylian Mbappé for the scoring lead with eight goals, but assists are the first tiebreaker in the Golden Boot race, and Messi has one more than Mbappé, whose French side will play England in Saturday's third-place match in Miami.
Messi is also among the favorites to win the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player for a record third time.
He has been at the center of Argentina's nerve-racking comebacks throughout the knockout stage, including a two-assist performance in the 2-1 semifinal victory over England on Wednesday in Atlanta.
While this might be Messi's farewell for Argentina after 21 years and six World Cups, he is not retiring from soccer; he will continue his Major League Soccer career with Inter Miami for the foreseeable future.
"It goes beyond words what Messi means as a player and for Argentina," Rodri said. "Obviously for me, he's the greatest of all time."
'What a crazy picture!'
Sunday's match will feature a player with potential to reach Messi's heights: Spanish winger Lamine Yamal, who, like the Argentine years ago, is rocketing to stardom at FC Barcelona.
It was in that Catalan city, in 2007, Yamal's family won a raffle for a photoshoot with Barcelona players. Messi, age 19, posed with 3-month-old Lamine. With Argentina facing Spain in the final, the photos have resurfaced everywhere this week.
At Friday's fan event, Messi was asked about him and Yamal, 19 years later, playing against each other in a World Cup final.
"He is one of the best players in the world right now, so I wish him the best," Messi said. "He's only 19 years old, and he has all of his future ahead. He has the opportunity to make history, but we are also going to give it our best."
About the photoshoot, he added, "Now we are facing each other. What a crazy picture!"
De la Fuente, who won the 2024 European Championship with Yamal on the squad, was asked whether he sees a lot of Messi in his young star.
"Messi is a once-in-history player," the Spanish coach said. "He's an example, a role model for youth and younger players. His attitude, his behavior. At his age, he's playing in such a spectacular way. I tell Lamine to be himself. The best way we can support him is by helping him be the person we know today because he has a great potential, a great future."
Just as Argentina is more than Messi, Spain is "not just Lamine," Martínez said. "They have a great group. Truth be told, they are a great national team. They are in the final for a reason. They have their strengths, but so do we. And I hope it will be a final that will go down in history for the fans."
With Messi in his twilight, that is a certainty.
