Messi And A Date With Destiny

His friends and foes have compared Lionel Messi to the best in the game.

His silken feet, mesmeric dribbles, magical ball skills, and darting runs into rival boxes have seen him attract a host of prefixes against his name. From being nicknamed ‘La Pulga’ (The Flea) back home in Argentina for his diminutive stature, ‘Messiah’ to the G.O.A.T, Messi has drawn every praise and compliment in the footballing metaverse throughout a golden career.

As a player with a record 35 titles with Barcelona, a club he represented for the longest period of his career, including four Champions League titles, ten La Liga titles, and seven Copa Del Rey titles, his accomplishments are unimaginable.

The agonizing quest to win a major title for his national team has seen him endure many heartbreaking moments.

Just one match now separates Messi from that elusive maiden World Cup title for his homeland.

What remains to be seen now is whether the footballing gods will smile on one of their favourite sons come Sunday’s finale. Should Argentina win, it would be a fitting and, in many ways, a fairytale end to a truly spectacular footballing career.

At the Lusail stadium in Doha, Messi would have waved one final tearful goodbye to his adoring fans if the two-time world champions lost the final.