And the Best World Cup I Have Seen Comes to an End

I have watched every single Football World Cup since 1986 when I accidentally walked into the TV room at the engineering college ECH 3 hostels and saw Brazil playing. Socrates, Zico and other stars dominated the game and I fell in love with the beautiful game. Without doubt it is the best sporting event for me and I have stayed up many nights, passed over many outings, even joined a job late because of this World Cup. I saw Socrates take and miss penalties with his inimitable two step shot, saw Roberto Baggio miss his penalty, saw Maradona and his brilliant goals, Schillaci and his golden boot performance, Roger Milla and Cameroon, the back Escobar whose own goal cost him his life, the antics of  Columbian goal keeper Higuita (El Loco or the madman) and his crazy antics, saw a hard working Romario and Bebeto win for Brazil, watched along haired Gabriel Batistuta score a hat trick, saw Brazil being annihilated by Germany in Brazil and watched Lionel Messi being inexplicably subdued at the World Cup.

And then came this World Cup and Messi and his team of hard working and passionate footballers who wanted to do it for Messi as much as Messi wanted to do it for Argentina. If Maradona was driven to win and made it his own, Messi came with a purpose to win it for his team and country. Through the tournament one could see the quiet purpose show in his countenance, so devoid of any negative emotion (until after the game as against Netherlands). The loss against Saudi Arabia set the team back. When Argentina needed to win against Mexico he provided the star turn by scoring when least expected. Again and again he did it - providing magnificent assists, opening up the opposition defence, inspiring his young stallions to score. He stepped up under tremendous pressure to take penalties and scored them as if he had ice in his veins. He missed one penalty but walked off instantly without emotion to take the corner immediately. 

Looking at the emotional Di Maria who could not stop after scoring a goal and when Argentina won, and all the others from his team and support team who could not stop crying (the french team surprisingly were too shocked to cry - but they gave it their all), one could see Messi smiling and laughing and hugging everyone but not a tear in his eye. It is an amazing quality of his to stay so completely in the moment - not carried away by challenges, barbs, highs or lows. Just another job to do and with purpose. He was the perfect captain, the perfect role model who inspired people like Alvarez, Martinez (the goalie who pretty much brought them the Cup with his last minute save and the penalty save) and every single one from his team.

Images of the South Koren goal, the Japanese goal, Harry Kane missing his penalty, Ronaldo's fall from grace, Mbappe's brilliance and refusal to given in against all odds, Morocco's magnificent effort, Messi's magic against Croatia to set up Alvarez's goal, Richarlson's sublime goal, Messi congratulting Martinez for saving penalties and winning the game against Netherlands - aha, what a World Cup. What a final.  Its a sublime ending to an otherwise forgettable year.