themirror
Even by Lionel Messis standards, this World Cup has been extraordinary.
And now he will get the chance to write another new chapter in this most remarkable final novel.
Four years ago, the little boy from Rosario delivered his crowning moment.
He lifted the World Cup in Qatar, and most believed that would be his last hurrah on footballs biggest stage.
But then here he is.
Still here, still working his magic.
And so the crowds flocked to Kansas City, Missouri, for the latest pilgrimage to witness greatness that is just three games away from all being over.
And so far, Messis Last Dance has stood as the most incredible story of this incredible tournament, on a farewell tour to football at the highest level that is now all about immortality.
Under the stunning pink skies of Missouri, it looked for so long like it would be the calm before the storm.
After coming through chaos in the last two games, Messi and Argentina looked set to make things far more straightforward against Switzerland.
But then this iteration of the reigning world champions doesnt make things straightforward.
And this time it needed Julian Alvarezs moment of magic and some more help from VAR to beat 10-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in a cagey affair.
Full-blown storm? Not quite.
But substantial showers? Very much so.
And Argentina is now still surviving with its head just above water.
Waiting at the shore? Old enemy England, whom Messi has never played against, in a gargantuan tussle in Atlanta on Wednesday, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
This time, Messi wasnt the difference maker.
That honor went to Alvarez and a 112th-minute strike that sparked bedlam on the Argentina bench and ensured Messis last hurrah has at least one more page left.
Instead of the tears of joy and outpouring of emotion we saw after the win over Egypt, this time it was pure celebration and togetherness as Messi removed his shirt, swirled it around his head in front of Argentina's fans then quietly took a backward step to allow Alvarez and his teammates to soak up the applause.
The journey all started in this stadium almost a month ago with a record-breaking hat-trick for Messi against Algeria, making him the World Cups all-time top goalscorer.
Since then, hes willed his side through a thriller against Cape Verde, then orchestrated one of the great World Cup comebacks against Egypt in the way only he can.
And so he returned to the center of America once again as the center of the worlds game, knowing a first-ever game against England dangled on the other side of an awkward, organized and spirited Switzerland team.
Fans lined up for miles for the Kansas City fanzone, hitting 25,000 capacity more than four hours before kickoff as thousands more waited for a chance to be a part of something special.
Preachers took the chance to share their message, with signs reading Jesus Loves You in the line down Main Street hill.
But there was far more interest in the street vendors selling the iconic blue-and-white striped jersey adorned with the No.10, once associated only with Diego Maradona, now etched in a new level of immortality by Messi.
They watched huddled around televisions in the streets of his hometown and across Argentina, deep into the night.
Or back in Barcelona, even later into the night, where he was forged into the superstar he is today.
Or for the lucky few inside the stadium, they watched on in anticipation, waiting for the magician to burst into life again, just as he had done every game in this World Cup.
In the cauldron itself, the loudest stadium in the NFL, the man everyone came to see walked without the ball, glided with the ball and tried desperately to unlock the Swiss defense.
He did so from a dead ball, when his 10th-minute corner found the head of Alexis Mac Allister, but their inability to find another gear almost cost them.
And after Switzerland made their own pressure count and Dan Ndoye slotted past Emiliano Martinez in the 67th minute, the whole stadium and those on the field gazed in one direction.
When Breel Embolo was sent off after VAR intervened and deemed he had dived instead of been fouled by Leandro Paredes to earn himself a second yellow, hope turned to complete expectation that Argentina would find a way through.
Messi almost settled it in normal time, feigning a shot then cutting in from the left-hand corner of the box and bending a shot just wide in the 92nd minute.
Then he almost did it again from the opposite side in extra time, forcing a smart save out of Gregor Kobel.
And after the sort of night where he hummed and threatened but drifted into pockets of space that led to dead ends, that moment led the ball to fall to the feet of Alvarez, who hit a postage stamp in the top right corner from 25 yards out to deliver the magic Argentina needed.
Lautaro Martinez wrapped it up in added time of extra time, sparking celebration.
There were no tears this time, like after the Egypt comeback, but there was no doubt a sense of relief at another tough test overcome to keep hopes of a second-straight World Cup win alive.
When Messi lifted the iconic trophy in Qatar, many felt he had cemented his status as the greatest to ever grace the beautiful game.
Hes since retreated to Miami, living a quiet family life and is no longer playing at the highest level of club football.
But it has all been geared up to one last World Cup, one last injection of magic and one lasting final impression.
Anyone who has shelled out thousands to watch him these past few weeks has done so knowing this is the final chance to see the greatest of all time play on footballs greatest stage.
And so for the fans in the stands in Kansas City, or in downtown in the fanzone, or spilling out into the streets of Argentina, this was a night where Messi and co.
got the job done, to set up one of the most tantalizing matchups of this most magnificent career.