These teams arrive in Russia to spend a month on World Cup Island—with the potential to (a) be heroes; or (b) disappoint an entire nation.
Argentina, in the desperate throes of meltdown mode for an entire week, just turned a (b) into the biggest (a) around.
"Banega…. Look at that ball… Messi brings it down… In the box… MESSI…. GOALLLLL….. ARGENTINA LITS"
"Messi Collects. Messi Scores"#NGAARG #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/arFBBVuFqt
— Light ◢◤ 🇦🇷 (@4d_sociopath) June 27, 2018
It would be three more years, everyone knows, until the trade winds blow the fog off this elusive World Cup Island, and they find their way back.
Maybe longer.
Maybe, though it’s not yet certain, without Lionel Messi.
And without him, we know how long it’ll be until they contend again.
So—this is it.
Day three of the group stage.
Elimination hovering over the entire morning.
According to multiple reports, Argentina coach Sampaoli has been told by the players during meeting after the 3-0 defeat to Croatia not to be in the dugout vs Nigeria.
The players including Lionel Messi believe the coach isn't in control and his assistant may takeover#Mutiny pic.twitter.com/8m4All4XaQ
— Evans Gyamera-Antwi (@ashesgyamera) June 22, 2018
On World Cup Island, you don’t get a second chance.
You show up with your clan, on this Russian soil, you set up camp, and you play ball.
If things go south, they go very south.
Like when Argentina lost 3-0 last week…
And everything looked lost.
Like a storm just hit World Cup Island, sweeping all their coconuts away. Killing all the fish. Uprooting the trees.
But, there was this one game left.
And there was a ball in the air from Ever Banega, to Lionel Messi.
The pass from Banega and the control from Messi 🔥🔥🔥 Why oh why did Sampaoli not play Banega sooner?!
— Peter Coates (@golazoargentino) June 26, 2018
Spotting Messi making a decoy, then a run, and feeding the ball on a perfect path through the air from midfield, over the entire defense, their back four spread out in a line.
And Messi—doing what he does.
Controlling Banega’s ball with a touch on the thigh, a touch on the foot, and then a brilliant shot with his right foot giving Argentina the lead.
1-0.
Cannot get over this ball from Banega pic.twitter.com/14BAEnjiP4
— Lindsey Pehrson (@LindseyPehrson) June 26, 2018
So far, the mutiny is winning. And Argentina is saved.
They live to play another day.
And Messi’s legacy lives on.
If, somehow, he wins this thing…
Then he’s crowned king, forever.
When the cocaine is too good 😂#NGAARG #Maradona pic.twitter.com/roUxAb3bq9
— Hoss Sam (@Hoss__Sam) June 27, 2018
I mean, just look at what this game did to Diego Maradona.
They cut to him in the crowd, after the second goal put Argentina back ahead—and he’s crossing his arms over his chest, professing ecstasy to the heavens, his soul exploding into the air around him, cocaine trickling out of his nostrils.
Completely… out of his mind.
Maradona unchained. pic.twitter.com/AbQR2IJa5L
— やれやれだぜ (@osk3ar) June 27, 2018
And you feel, seeing that, seeing all of it…
Like you’re watching World Cup history.
Unbelievable.