Is a Fairy Tale Ending in Store for Messi?

"How else do you explain that a nation with about half a percent of the world’s population has made it to 42% of the World Cup finals in the last 45 years?"

This Sunday, the world will get a truly unique spectacle. Any World Cup final is a once every four years event. That’s rare enough. But this final is even more special. First, because the best two teams of the tournament, France and Argentina, are facing each other in it —sometimes that happens earlier due to the luck of the draw. Each country will be seeking its third World Cup championship. Second, because the best two players in the world, Messi and Mbappé, will be facing off. Third, because, at 35, this likely marks the last World Cup that Messi will be in top shape. And Messi has had a remarkable career, winning every major soccer prize except the World Cup. So far. The wise senior statesman of soccer will be pitted against the youthful new (ish) star of the sport.

I think France has the stronger team. The combination of Mbappé, Griezmann and Giroux can be lethal. And their defense is excellent too.

Yet Argentina has been playing better leading up to the final, and will arguably be wanting a win more. When Argentina was ahead of Croatia, reigning world sub champion, they kept pressing for more. Even after they were ahead 2-0, Argentina pressed on until the last minute of the match, leading to a 3-0 win. In contrast, after France scored their first goal against Morocco, they largely stayed back, and Morocco dominated much of the match. After all, most of this French team has already won a World Cup, back in Russia in 2018.

Argentina also has a not-so-secret weapon. Argentine passion.

How else do you explain that a nation with about half a percent of the world’s population has made it to 42% of the World Cup finals in the last 45 years? Argentinians live the World Cup with a fervor and passion second to none. Which means that every player representing Argentina in one feels a duty to leave everything on the field in pursuit of the championship. One player famously played with a dislocated shoulder on his way to win the 1986 World Cup.

Passion matters in any sport, but it’s particularly important in soccer. State of mind is determinant in a sport where there are infinite degrees of freedom and the difficulty of the play you choose to make is determined by your desire to win and confidence that you can. In fact, I would argue that a team’s most important skill is their ability to play as if the score was tied, no matter what the actual score is.

On Sunday, Argentina will have another advantage: they will have most of the public on their side. This has three causes. The first is that Argentinians care so much that they are willing to spend the many thousands of dollars required to take the 20+ hour flight to Qatar and get a ticket to the final. The second is that they are the underdog. Bets favor the defending World Champions.

The third is Messi. He has been an exemplary shining light in the world of soccer. Widely considered the best footballer in the world for many years, if not in history, and unlike many other great players, he has always kept his ego in check. He has always displayed a team spirit. He has been respectful on and off the field. He has taken the innumerable fouls against him in stride. He has been an exemplary husband and father —when a female journalist got him to smile during an interview this week in which she thanked him on behalf of every Argentine kid, the joke was that it was the first time anyone had seen him smile at any woman other than his wife. On Sunday, the world will be rooting for a poetic and just end to his fairy book tale career, one that gives him the one soccer trophy that has so far eluded him.

Soccer (fútbol) does not always have fairy tale endings. A 90 minute game with famously elusive goals does not always impart justice. One thing is assured: Sunday's game will be one for the books.