Messi a thousand times: an imperial night to command the dream of the national team at the World Cup in Qatar

Of the Millennium.

Here, in the city of Al Rayyan, which serves as the gateway to the immensity of the dunes, there is something even more immeasurable and he wears the number 10 shirt of the Argentina national team. Lionel Andrés Messi reached 1,000 games in his career in the midst of the World Cup in Qatar 2022 and celebrated with one of his best performances at the World Cup, protagonist of the painful 2-1 victory against Australia in the round of 16. For the fourth time he has messed with the national team in the top eight.

What a sandstorm that does not warn and shakes the tents of the desert, the albiceleste captain seemed to unleash the whole duel against a closed-defense Australia with his left foot. There, in the long-legged tangle of oceanic central defenders, the 10th found the right space by receiving in the box (Alexis Mac Allister’s pass stopped and served by Nicolás Otamendi) and placing it against the goalkeeper’s far post.

Objective. Another of Messi in this World Cup. The third. But the ninth of the five that was played. Thus, he was an attainer Gabriele Omar Batistuta, who is currently Argentina’s top scorer at the World Cup with 10. Curiously, this is the first time Rosario has made it into the knockout stage. The previous times had all been in group engagements. Another level passed for Leo, who once again had the encouragement of his whole family in the garage.

How to continue to describe (write) Messi? In every step, in every dribble, in every dance with the ball, there is a record, a new brand, a real number that he takes care of making credible. He has no limits. There is no limit to its enormity enclosed in its sixty-nine meters. Leo does not stop or think about doing so. He plays and doesn’t stop playing. A competitive beast that goes all the way all the time. Like on the grass of the Amhad Bin Ali Stadium, where he distributed football and sacrificed, where he earned ovations and bows from the more than 40,000 fans who attended the thousand nights on the 10th.

There were 778 games with 672 goals at Barcelona where he reinvented the club’s history. There are 53 games at Paris Saint-Germain, with 23 whoops. He still has half a season on his contract in France and they are already preparing the plan to keep him for at least another year. And he counts with that of this Saturday 169 flagged in blue and white, with 94 goals. He is the top scorer of the national team, the only one to have played in five World Cups and the one who has played the most games in this competition (he has 24) because he had already surpassed Diego Armando Maradona (21).

This only counts official appearances. But La Pulce had long since passed the thousand games played. Of course, if you add the 58 friendlies played in Barcelona, ​​​​the 22 in Barcelona B, the 18 he has in Argentina’s Sub 20, 10 in Barcelona C, the five in the Sub 23 team and the three friendlies in PSG, gives him 1,116 games in total. Among all these duels that are not counted in his professional career, he scored another 66 goals.

Of course, he still has some time to overcome Javier Zanetti, who up to the age of 40 has played 1,102 games. Leo is 35 years old and currently has no expiration date. In the Middle East, Messi continues in Copá América 2021 mode: scorer, fighter, support and total figure.

Because in addition to opening the scoring, Rosario took charge of the game and time management. She knew when to accelerate. She knew when to stop. Lautaro Martínez served two assists in front of goal, which the Bull could not take advantage of Corse. Fought. Until the end. Land and sea captain on the edge of the Arabian Sea.

That’s why that moment of singing, jumping and joy is worth it. That’s why it’s worth enjoying after suffering an unnecessarily risky end. Leo celebrates the transition to the quarterfinals with the others on his special evening and the illusion, of him and of everyone, grows more and more.

As the commander of the staggered, Messi goes for more adventures. Here, in Arab land, he continues to write stories that seem like stories but are very real. And he’s secured at least one more page in the big book of his magical career. Against the Netherlands it will be a thousand and one nights for the best player in the world, who will take another big step.

Al Rayyan, Qatar. Special delivery.