Argentina faces France in the World Cup final in Qatar and Messi is playing his last chance at glory

The day has come. Here we are, at the end of the world.

The Argentine Dream has set its feet on the game that everyone wants to play. The Selection champion of America tries to snatch the title from the current world champion, France. There are a lot of arguments, but also the rival. From 12:00 Argentinaand with the arbitration of the Polish Szymon Marciniakthe ball will start moving on the grass of the golden giant, the Lusail Stadium, to determine who will take home the most important trophy in football.

There will be eleven Argentines who will compete for sporting glory. Another 15 will come from the bank. But thousands will push themselves from the stands and millions will do it from afar, from more than 13,000 kilometres, clinging to an armchair, a bar table, the hand of a lover, the embrace of friends, alone or in the warmth of the family. .

#All togetheris the hashtag used by the campus Selection since he arrived in Qatar. Its protagonists write it in every post and say it in every note. And that’s what this team has already achieved, it has already won: that an entire country stands united behind Lionel Messi and company, at least for a while without cracks, without ill-feeling, without rancor, in spite of everything. All together they will be there, whatever happens, encouraging, suffering, getting excited for this group of players and technical staff. who have known how to fall in love with the most football-loving people in the world.

That laurel will not be taken from him by anyone. The good news is that she is so beautiful symbiosis, almost magical, will not depend on what happens this Sunday. It’s clear: “I want to win the third, I want to be world champion!”. The letter of the grandstand hit of this World Cup, also adopted by the players, is what is being pursued, the greatest desire.

see Messi lift that unique piece of 36.8 centimeters that weighs 6,175 kilos and is made with 18-karat gold It is the image that is missing from the album of the history of this sport, the most popular of all, so to speak. The blue and white 10 has reached the moment it wanted to be. And after eight and a half years, he’ll have the opportunity to pick it up again. It will be his last chance, as he himself took the trouble to say.

And if it doesn’t happen, why as he observes Lionel Scaloni, this is football and you can win or lose, there will be no reproaches. The streets of Argentina will surely be flooded with flags, songs, thanks and recognitions to a team that has returned the illusion and passion for the Selectionand which represents the feeling and playing of the Albicelestial idiosyncrasy.

It is with everyone or it is not. Is it all together or not. Because here too, accompanying side by side, there are Kun Agüero, Gio Lo Celso, Nicolás González and Joaquín Correa, who, if it hadn’t been for different situations, would have been part of this squad. Lucas Martínez Quarta, Juan Musso, Nicolás Domínguez, Roberto Pereyra also came close, who were not chosen for the list but were part of the cycle.

And this time it is not the glory or the devoted. It’s not winning or failing. She’s raising the flag of trying again and again. What Leo Messi, how spaghetti You say Maria. Like this national team which has also shown in this competition that it knows how to fall and bounce back, from one match to another, after that unexpected debut with Saudi Arabia, or within a match. After that initial loss, they beat Mexico, Poland, Australia, the Netherlands on penalties and Croatia to clear their way into Game 7.

But this premise involves, why not, even France, which has just come out of the Olympic tour in Russia 2018 at the hands of the fearsome kylian mbappe and of Antoine Griezmannbut who have decided to do it again here, in Qatar 2022. They beat Australia, Denmark, fell with substitutes against Tunisia (although some starters entered the complement), and then overwhelmed Poland, England and Morocco to land in his second consecutive final.

Both teams already have two stars on their shields. Only one will wear the third when Sunday ends he will put the bow on a different World Cup in Arab territory. The world final is not the end of the world, but everyone wants to win it.

The continuity of the Scaloni, Aimar, Samuel, Ayala and company project will not be at stake, which must in no way be altered or diverted whatever the fate of this decisive battle. It won’t be the idolatry of the best player in the world, who has already given the best version of him in a tournament of this magnitude. Unconditionality at staggeredwhich he created and still vibrates with his sacred fire.

will be in play the dream of returning to the top after 36 years. The irrepressible desire to finally give it to Lionel Messi. The illusion that condemns all football fans for the coldest clothes they want to wear.

The moment arrives. And here we are, Selezione, at the end of the world #All together.

Doha, Qatar. Special delivery.