Messi and the spirit of the barbecue

Messi jokes with his teammates in training this Monday. JUAN MABROMATA (AFP)

Before traveling to Doha, the Argentine team had to solve an essential logistical issue for their coexistence: how to make barbecues in their residence at the University of Qatar.

The federation commissioned a company with four two-and-a-half-meter grills, and a stove where even entire pieces could be hung.

All tailored to fit on the plane and labor-intensively manufactured a week before the flight.

And between the clothes, the boots and the rest of the sports equipment, 2,600 kilos of meat.

Five weeks away from home - in the best of scenarios (which has been reached) - without a barbecue was too much for an Argentine, even for a high-level athlete.

Once installed in the new residence, in mid-November, it barely took them a few hours to loosen the atmosphere with a ration of emptiness.

For now, the path to the World Cup semifinals for the albiceleste team (the second in three decades) refers a lot to group spirit, the closing ranks after the initial setback against Saudi Arabia and the communion around Messi more than a choral game captivating, or even notable in many moments.

His great reaction in the second part of extra time in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands after the blow that led to the tie in the 101st minute consolidated the courageous streak over aesthetics in a team that does not have much experience in these latitudes ( 19 are debutants).

“He has the spirit to face the situations of each moment.

He knows what he has to do according to the needs, ”assessed Lionel Scaloni after escaping alive from penalties against the Netherlands.

"We know how to suffer," said Nicolás Tagliafico this Monday.

This Tuesday (8:00 p.m., La 1 and World Goal), Croatia awaits you, a team that, regardless of Modric's infinite recipe, has made resistance its path to success.

In that albiceleste rebellion against the

, pushed by a monopolistic fan of the amphitheater, nothing surprised more than a Messi unleashed and defiant with his rivals, an image that made him

, brought him closer to his stands and, above all, confronted him with the idea that for many years had been built of him in all its stages.

In all the European bumps that he accumulated in his last period at Barcelona, ​​the photo of

alone on the grass and without the ability to prevent the disasters that occurred.

The same thing happened to him in March at the Santiago Bernabéu with the PSG shirt and he had not found the key in many crisis situations either with the national team.

His reign was built with pure and simple football, and very little with gestures and words.

Scaloni's warning

This time, in his last World Cup, perhaps in the last tournament in which he really spends his entire life on it, La Pulga, in addition to goals and passes, has also shown himself to be a challenger and a courtesy to lead a group of young people who do

hide his dedication and admiration to the leader.

The consequence is a team in mate that works with the kidneys and flashes of the star.

Thus he reached the semifinals.

The question is whether Messi will be able to complete his great work by monopolizing almost exclusively the attack.

Enzo Fernández emerged in a midfield that remained in the air due to the loss of Lo Celso, Julián Álvarez contributed to replace a Lautaro without a trace and

Martínez consolidated himself as a penalty shootout, but there was not much more trace until the penultimate season extraMessi from Lionel Scaloni's gang that order and caution.

For the moment, it works for him: Argentina is the squad that has conceded the fewest shots on goal (1.2 per game) and has been getting maximum profitability from the stitches with thread of its star, a good manager of the efforts that he can afford and aware one of the most damaging areas you can step on.

The Pujato coach already warned weeks ago that the best teams do not always win the World Cup, nor those that overwhelm and are always in the opposite field;

but the intelligent ones that adapt to what suits them.

Just the path his locker room has traveled so far, able to get a piece of what he brings to the table.

play at home

The former player of Depor, Racing and Mallorca has spoken in public 10 times in recent weeks, before and after each clash, and it is difficult to find football speeches beyond the spirit and identification that, according to his statements, his boys arouse for the values of dedication and sacrifice that they transmit.

This Monday, yes, after the harsh outcome against the Netherlands, he worked hard to ensure that his team "knows how to win and lose."

Parallel to the rise of the Albiceleste to the semifinals, no team has scored as much distance in the stands and on the streets as it has.

Despite being 13,000 kilometers from Doha, a mass of thousands and thousands of fans has accompanied him to Qatar.

While the European fans have barely moved (very expensive prices and a type of leisure outside the stadiums that is not very attractive for the average Westerner), Messi and company have gotten used to playing every game at home.

Each victory leads to a party with their fans as if they had already won the title.

An advantage on the cobblestones that has been reinforcing the emotional soul of the South American team.

Grada, spirit, roasts and Messi, the Argentine formula for the short distances of a World Cup.

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