There is no more cinematographic and visited road than Route 66. There are almost 4,000 kilometers between Chicago and Los Angeles. It runs across the US from coast to coast, from East to West. It is known as La Calle Principal or as the Carretera Madre. There are other great mythical road trips such as the Camino de Santiago, the Trans-Siberian, such as Che's motorcycle trip through South America or the Great Ocean Road in Australia. Another path for memory and history has been created in the Qatar desert. A tour worthy of a pilgrimage. A highway to glory. It has been erected by Leo Messi, a footballer who already has everything, who could never be blamed for anything, who every week –sometimes even three times in eight days– made the difference with an unusual level. So for seasons, breaking records. During his entire career of more than 1,000 games. And to whom, however, a title that is played every four years, which Maradona won once and which turned him into a myth, was still required.
Well, friends, detractors, fans, experts, experts, fans and devotees, Messi has already passed the game. He gave his country what he needed for three decades. He got the trophy he was missing in a golden palmares. He led his team masterfully. He captained her on the field and off.
At 35 years old. Without being in the fullness of it. With ten years more than Zidane in 1998. With ten more than Diego in Mexico. Pelé in 1970 was 29 years old. Xavi in South Africa, he was 30. That gives an idea of the magnitude of the feat. Without being surrounded by stars, but with a young group and a new coach. But he multiplied, becoming a gladiator, a leader, a striker and an organizer.
He was told that he did not perform in short tournaments. And he has eight finals with the albiceleste! He threw himself in his face that he was not the same as Barcelona and he did not win with Argentina. And he has won Olympic gold, a Copa América, a Finalissima and, finally, the World Cup. It made him ugly that he did not appear at the decisive moments. And he has responded with an exhibition in each of the rounds: scoring in the round of 16 (Australia), in the quarterfinals (Netherlands), the semifinal (Croatia) and the grand final (France).
It could not be otherwise: he is the first to achieve it. Always leading the way. It is route 10. For those who enjoyed the hateful comparison, Pelusa did not score in their two finals and Messi scored twice against France, to add a total of seven in Qatar. The first from a penalty (he has kicked five – not counting the batches – and has scored four), the second catching a rebound from Lloris at point-blank range. Varane tried to take it out but the ball had already crossed the goal line. It was his thirteenth goal in the World Cup, one more than O'Rei Pelé.
It so happens that two of his most iconic goals have come with his right: the one from Maradona against Getafe with Barça at the Camp Nou and the one from extra time in the World Cup final.
The World Cup was for many years a paved road for him. Full of obstacles. Four years tripping over the stone. And coming back. insisting. To be crowned in his 26th game in the World Cups (one more than Matthäus) and 2,313 minutes (beating Paolo Maldini). There is no one greater than him.
The itinerary has been long, from Germany, but in Qatar it was a path with departure and arrival at the Lusail Stadium, scene of the defeat against Saudi Arabia and the one that ended with the desired kiss to the Copa Linda. In 2014 Bao Tailang won the World Press Photo in the Sports category with a photograph of the Argentine looking sadly at the trophy. Yesterday he skipped the protocol to caress and kiss the award when he went up to receive the World Cup Golden Ball. Then, 50 minutes after Montiel's penalty, and dressed in a bisht (a garment reserved for select members of the Qatari royal family) imposed on him by the emir himself, he raised the trophy to heaven. His World Cup. And even his companions were embarrassed to ask him for the drink. It belonged to Messi and he gave it to all Argentines.
