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Messi stays the day Neymar leaves

2022-12-09T23:03:27.400Z


Argentina could not have had a better stimulus against the Netherlands than the fall of its most classic rival, Brazil


“Boys, now we are excited again”, the Argentines sing since they arrived in Qatar.

The usual white and blue murga, many fans thought after their defeat against Saudi Arabia.

The favorite was Brazil.

Skeptics don't know that faith moves mountains and, four games later, Argentina challenges Europe and Morocco after beating the Netherlands and eliminating Brazil.

Neymar was left without the Cup the day he equaled Pelé's mark (77 goals) and left Messi as the representative figure of America in Asia after two memorable penalty shootouts that elevated two great goalkeepers: Livakovic and Dibu Martínez.

Argentina could not have had a better stimulus against the Netherlands than the fall of its most classic rival, Brazil.

The five-time champion, generous with the 0-0 scoreline and artistic in the 1-0 scoreline, was defeated by meanness and speculation against an extremely competitive rival, the most reliable in penalty shootouts, led by a footballer whose team sense is unique like Modric.

Croatia plays as a unit, the Netherlands refers to Van Gaal, Brazil continues without finding a coach —Tite is also leaving— and the Albiceleste depends on the creativity of Messi.

At 35, Messi has recovered the adventurous spirit of that boy who left Rosario to conquer the world from the Camp Nou.

He doesn't dribble as much anymore and rests more, nor does he need to always score, although he has already surpassed Maradona's goals in the World Cup (9 against 8).

He has ceased to be a 7, a 9, a false 9, a 9.5, an omnipotent footballer who played for eleven, to be a 10. And whoever wore the 10 was always a selective player who has a hierarchy on the ball and also about the game as it happens with Messi.

A touch, a step, which is still short, very Argentine, the Rosario has added an excellent reading of the game to a motor and cognitive capacity that he has perfected since his time at La Masia, a school of which he has been an illustrious teacher Van Gaal.

Messi presents himself today as a more complete and mature player, less naive and more supportive because his teammates look for him and find him so that he can dribble, pass without distinction, more of a team player than ever and, nevertheless, unique, knowing that he is no longer El Salvador but the facilitator of Argentina.

Messi seems to have metabolized the different Messi who has been, from the pasture to the wise man, distinguished by a talent that allows him to make a difference in friendlies and in the World Cup.

The system set up by the hitherto undefeated Van Gaal did not resist the 10 surgery in Molina's goal play and in the penalty shot against the giant Noppert (2.03m), the tallest player in the World Cup.

Messi's concentration and cold-blooded shooting were overwhelming after his mistake against Poland.

The Netherlands, which has better defenses than forwards, loosened up after 0-2, when they began to cross crosses and hang balls, free from any manual, as desperate teams are used to, until Argentina was unhinged.

Nobody noticed any betrayal in Van Gaal's team when he attacked with two center forwards and forced the equalizer and extra time with two Weghorst goals.

Added time was an exciting coming and going without solving it because it referred to penalties, a scenario in which Dibu Martínez evoked Romero in the semifinals of Brazil 2014 and, just like then, Argentina eliminated the Netherlands.

Messi's rival will not be Neymar's Brazil but Croatia.

Messi did not want to say goodbye on the same day and in the same way as Neymar.

“Guys, now we are excited again”, sings the Albiceleste.

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Source: elparis

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