Lionel Messi finally completes football with his dream cup on Sunday. It has been a long time since he started on this journey to glory.
In retrospect, it would now be clear to him and everyone else that fate was saving the best for the last.
Take a look at his trajectory from 2014 when he lost the final against Germany.
It was La Pulga who was the best player in that tournament, he made the highest contribution yet he cried home that night.
Missing that final when he was so close to it, he said, was one of the most excruciating pain he had ever felt.
In Qatar, when they lost their first match against Saudi Arabia, there was also that sense of tumbling over just like in 2018 when they crashed out of the round of 16.
Lionel Messi indicated that it was his last World Cup. Told the fans to keep on believing.
He showed up against Mexico, he was masterful against Poland when his team needed him the most.
At the end of it all, Messi is victorious, a captain that led his team to World Cup glory.
He also became the first player to ever score in all knock out stages of the world cup.
The excitement of the world cup final is rooted on what is a-stake. Lionel Messi was not going to allow himself to come close to the prize and not scoop it.
On the other hand, Kylian Mbappe had been impressive and would want to crown his outstanding performance with a gold.
If he had won, he would have been the first 23 years old to win the World Cup twice. This would instantly launch him into the GOAT debate.
In the end, Mbappe scored a hatrick and held Argentina’s breath longer than the minutes on the scoreboard.
He was so close, so imposing, so dominating that there was no doubt he was ready for the baton of greatness to be passed to him.
At the age of 35, Lionel Messi was the best player of the World Cup in Qatar. By that age, most players have already retired or simply can not compete at the highest level.
Mbappe was one goal above the Argentina’s magician and went home with the golden ball.
In a week or two, they would be together again at club level but this time, they would be wearing the same jersey, representing a side that is eager to win the champions league.
