A nation celebrates...

My last musing (and to the delight of my friends Ariel Zimerman as well as Nestor Perinot ) I had concluded that Messi should win. I must admit openly I am not a fan of Argentina, as I grew up in Brazil, but its exactly why I think this is a great moment. As some of you know I was in Mexico when Pele won his 3rd World Cup, (dad a futbol fan took us to the World Cup). I was too small to remember anything other than a lot of noise, but of course growing up in Sao Paulo, Pele was King, and it was the 1974 Cup that I recall, we (Brazil) lost against Holland who went on to face Germany for the final (and Germany won).

In 1978 we had just moved to the British Caribbean - The Windward Islands. I loved for a time in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where Mystique, Bequay and Young's Island were my playground. But that summer, dark clouds were growing between the UK and Argentina, and living on islands that were once British colonies I felt that sentiment of "las Malvinas son Argentinas".

Players like Mario Kempes, Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa, among so many others won that Cup, (and if we are to believe the Netflix documentary on the World Cup, it was used to maintain the military junta in power). Regardless, as Ardiles and Villa went to Tottenham, and we had our choice of BBC1, BBC2 or BBC3 in the islands - I was a devout HotSpur fan (and even today - in the Premier League, they are my team). I loved seeing them play.

in 1982 Brazil had an amazing team that lost against the bambino Rossi, who outplayed us (ahh how Mbappe moved that ball). Italy was champ. 1986 brought the delight of Diego Armando Maradona. His majestic goals and just a bad team for Brazil that did not gel at the right time, and post Malvinas war, where hundreds of Argentines had died, it seemed fitting that the "hand of God" appeared and won the Cup.

Forward to this year...36 years after and if you read my analysis of why Messi should win, we see the reason. From the millions of celebrating Argentines, to so many kids that marveled at how this little man, in the last moments of his career (as he may have one or two more great years) finally gets his due. I do believe he is the finest CLUB player, as with Barcelona he won it all, and then some, but this last year, he did beat Brazil for Copa America, did beat Italy in the odd Champions games Fifa created, and of course, won last Sunday.

Although as I like to needle my Argentine friends, not so much won (as they ended tied 3x3) but France lost as it could not convert their penalties, and one thing is for sure - Futbol is about putting the ball at the back of the net. Mbappe has a World Cup win and 4 scores in last week's final (3 during the match and he converted his penalty). and he is 23.

I recall when I moved to the US, and came to Miami and the talk was Dan Marino and all his records. I think that is Messi, with all the records, today the GOAT is Tom Brady, and we are ready to look at Mahones or so many other young players, last Sunday we saw Mbappe, and who knows if in a few years, if I am still around I will write about the kid who now has it all.

The great thing is that futbol shows us our passions, from lighthearted laughter to arguments that in the end come to a beer and a hug. This has been a fine time to watch futbol, but sadly as all good things - it comes to an end, and I am happy for all the fans of Argentina, the fans of Messi, and most of all the Argentine kids. I grew up with O Rei Pele as the idol watching his wins, and I am happy that the "pibes" will have that too, a lifetime of memories of this man called Messi.

Cheers and have a great day!!