KANSAS CITY STADIUM – So much for Lionel Messi‘s last dance. This timeless tango from the finest footballer of his generation should leave you in no doubt that Rosario’s renaissance man can dominate another World Cup.
What magic Messi weaved here in Kansas. We are used to seeing him beat defenders with the twinkle toes that bewitched the unfortunate Algerians – what was remarkable here was him showing Father Time a clean pair of heels.
Because this hat-trick wasn’t a case of serendipity for Messi. No, pushing the age of 39 he reprised his role as Argentina’s architect-in-chief – pressing, cajoling and creating with the sort of effortless swagger that makes this game look easy. Not just the best player on the pitch but looking like he was in the mood to become the best player on the planet again.
He was already guaranteed his slice of history by making it to a record-breaking sixth World Cup but there was a nagging doubt that this might be a pale imitation of the Messi who, four years ago, lifted the burden of a nation when he hoisted the trophy in Doha. Injury worries had stalked his tournament build-up.
We needn’t have worried. Messi is supposed to have given up running these days but there was velocity in his fifth minute run to sweep past Algeria’s Luca Zidane, only for assistant referee Tomasz Listkiewicz to flag for a marginal offside.
