The reigning Ballon d’Or winner must deliver in Copa America final if Argentina hope to conquer Colombia
When Lionel Messi stepped up to take Argentina’s first penalty against Ecuador in the Copa America quarterfinals, the outcome was inevitable. Messi was surely going to bury it. Maybe he’d smash it top corner, perhaps he’d panenka it down the middle. Either way, there was no way he could miss.
And then, the unthinkable happened. Messi missed.
He tried to chip the ball down the middle, but his effort clipped the bar and went behind. Argentina seemed doomed, in the moment. Of course, that didn’t happen. Emi Martinez made two saves, and every other Argentina player converted on their spot-kicks as La Albiceleste stayed alive.
Messi, the guy who had saved his team so many times, was bailed out by those he had so often led to victory. Depending in which corner of social media debate you reside, Messi is either the best or the second best footballer to ever play the game.
He operates on his own plane. Messi is the rare star player who tends to act like one. And Argentina need him. After enduring a disappointing tournament – by his standards, anyway – Messi simply must come alive when Argentina line up against Colombia in Sunday night’s Copa America final in Miami.
Source link : https://www.goal.com/en-ng/lists/lionel-messi-has-struggled-argentina-copa-america-he-can-go-missing-final/blt05b8d3b0c7591b09
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Publish date : 2024-07-13 11:28:19
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