No shots on goal for the first time in the history of a World Cup final. Only two, and from afar. Argentina and Leo Messi were mannequins in the hands of Spain, erratic in attack due to the flights of Dibu Martínez, but dominant in midfield, strong in defense and most importantly: world champions at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where they said goodbye to the ’10’, broken at the end, crying inconsolably, lying on the grass with a lost look, receiving the affection of his teammates. At 39 years old, he ends his World Cup legacy with a crown, in Qatar, and two lost finals.
The stats of Argentina are something rarely seen in a World Cup final. The Albiceleste did not create a single scoring opportunity until the 119th minute, when their first shot arrived. The second, in the 120th, appealing more to the heart than to a football that never accompanied them at any moment.
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Only the 11 saves by their goalkeeper kept them in the match until extra time. Messi, star of the tournament with eight goals, assistant in two of the goals of Argentina’s comeback against England in the semifinals, was completely absent, wandering the field, pacing his efforts and being a mere spectator.
Not a single ball in the area
He did not touch a single ball in Spain’s area, 54 in the rest of the field, the fewest of all the starters in the match, seven of them in the last third of De la Fuente’s team. He made only three dribbles and was a mirage of what the rest of the teams allowed him during the World Cup. Completely neutralized by Spain like all of Argentina, desperate, committing more fouls, 25, than in the intense afternoon against England and seeing how Enzo Fernández received a red card after a hard tackle on Cubarsí. Earlier, Messi had asked for a red card for Cucurella for covering his mouth during a conversation. Paredes, with a double aggression on Eric Garcia and Gavi when the referee had already blown the final whistle, summed up the impotence of the Albiceleste. “We are great in victory and we have to be great in defeat,” said Scaloni.
Messi had arrived in the United States with an empty backpack and a soul freed since Qatar, where he won the cup that all of Argentina had been asking for 16 years and begging every player since 1986, in a country that turned that summer into a religion. The judgment every four years ended in the penalty shootout in Lusail and from there everything changed, he was included in the songs with Maradona, the Malvinas, and the Albiceleste glory. He was lifted on the shoulders of every fan, teammate, and coach, all crying at every victory. “For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last“, as the new Argentine chant says.
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Leo’s last happened at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and against the country that saw him grow and suffer under the pressure of his national team. Since ’86, any Argentine child who could kick the ball well inherited an invisible burden: he had to resemble Maradona. With Messi, the metaphor ended. In 2006 he debuted, precisely under Diego’s orders; in 2010, when he was already Ballon d’Or, doubts began in a country that wanted immediate heroes. In 2014, at 27 years old and in Brazil, the desire turned into pressure. Maradona had won at 25 and Pelé had two before turning 22. The defeat against Germany was the cruelest night of his sporting life and he passed by the cup without touching it.
Then came the lost finals in the Copa América, his resignation from the national team and the return for Russia 2018, where he was already a veteran surrounded by doubts who could not avoid the defeat against France in the round of 16.
That is why Qatar freed him and that is why the Albiceleste emotion at seeing his last steps this summer. Diego is the emotional legend, the neighborhood pitch, and the icon, but there are no longer doubts that Leo has been greater than him at the sporting level. At the MetLife those songs against Brazil that for decades covered Argentina’s failures, like “Brazil, tell me how it feels,” no longer sounded. Now only chants about Messi’s successes are heard.
On the shameful New York pitch, Messi, at 39 years old, paced his efforts. He did not run the same, he could not. He was an island waiting for his moment, calculating his possibilities and playing only when he had the best card. A poker game against Spain that he could not win. Six World Cups later, his legend ended at the MetLife in New Jersey.
