Magical Messi Saves His Best for Last in Qatar

Magical Messi Saves His Best for Last in Qatar
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates scoring the first goal from the penalty spot during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi final match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium in Lusail City, Qatar, on Dec. 13, 2022. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Reuters
Updated:

As if he had not made enough fairy-tales, Argentina’s little genius Lionel Messi has saved the potentially most magical script for his last World Cup—with one line left to write.

With immense pressure on him to match the late great Diego Maradona and send the trophy back to Buenos Aires, Messi has lit up the Qatar tournament while others in the superstar stratum—Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo—have underwhelmed and gone home.