World Cup: Argentina put religion in Lionel Messi’s ‘tranquilo’ model of soccer

There’s a frequent false impression that profitable at World Cups is about need, patriotism, “wanting it”, crew spirit and even one thing known as “momentum”. Romantics may have cherished seeing Argentina’s gamers bouncing up and down of their changing-room after their 2-0 win over Mexico, thumping their lockers and shouting, tunelessly but touchingly, the music of their very own followers:

“I used to be born in Argentina / Land of Diego and Lionel / Of the boys of the Malvinas, whom I’ll always remember . . .”

No surprise Lionel Messi calls it his favorite supporters’ music. A migrant employee in Europe for the reason that age of 13, lengthy distrusted at house, he has lastly been given a spot of honour within the nationwide narrative, alongside Diego Maradona and the younger conscripts killed within the Falklands (or Malvinas) struggle towards Britain in 1982. Because it occurs, the creator of the brand new lyrics, the theology and catechism trainer Fernando Romero, is from Hurlingham, probably the most British-influenced suburb of Buenos Aires.

It’s candy to think about crew spirit carrying Argentina previous Poland on Wednesday night, in a recreation they could must win to succeed in the knockout section. However for top-class footballers, geometry typically trumps feelings, simply as crew spirit often follows victories, quite than the opposite manner spherical. Argentina landed in Qatar after 36 consecutive unbeaten video games considering they’d achieved their geometry homework, solely to should revise it right here on the fly after shedding their opener to Saudi Arabia.

To grasp how Messi sees soccer, watch clips of his pre-match crew talks at Barcelona, proven in a documentary sequence by Rakuten TV. Earlier than kick-off, after the coach’s tactical discuss, Messi would typically ship a short speech, in his attribute monotone, emphasising the necessity for calm considering.

Earlier than a recreation towards Atlético Madrid, as an illustration, he instructed his teammates, “Tranquilo, like at all times, with out shedding our heads. Not too shortly.” At half-time within the house leg of the 2019 Champions League semi-final towards Liverpool, he urged: “Attempt to calm the match . . . If we play one towards one, they’re stronger. We’re not used to it; they’re fast. Then we’re going up and down; it’s a lottery. If we have now management, it’s one other story.”

Managed possession, quite than helter-skelter pelts ahead, is how he needs Argentina to play. After his crew beat Mexico on Saturday, he mentioned: “We realised we needed to play with extra tranquillity. Within the second half we began to play with longer possessions, we discovered house between the strains, balls nearer the realm.”

It’s a gradual, old style, historically Latin American recreation, which contrasts with the livid tempo of one of the best European sides. However Argentina’s assistant coach Matías Manna, who doubles as an creator on techniques, says it’s “Europeanising” considering to dismiss as out of date the traditional Argentine manner: “la nuestra”, or “ours”.

When Argentina advance as a bloc on the ball, it’s simpler for teammates to search out Messi, typically strolling round close to the centre-circle. From there he can orchestrate assaults. That is the position he has belatedly been assigned right here: as a playmaker, what Argentines name an enganche, quite than a form of genie of the lamp who intercedes solely at decisive moments. The 35-year-old nonetheless must be a genie, too, although, materialising close to the penalty space to complete off strikes, or offering the help. In opposition to Mexico, for Argentina’s two objectives, he did each.

Argentina are tight on the again — they conceded simply three pictures on course over their first two video games, although the Saudis netted two of them — but when they’ve an attacking system, it’s Messidependencia. Nonetheless, when you have to be dependent, let or not it’s on somebody who has 93 objectives for his nation, and has scored in every of their final six video games.

Poland resemble Argentina: a stable defence, problem in shifting the ball ahead, and dependency on one previous bloke, of their case 34-year-old Robert Lewandowski. However they’re laborious to beat. Even a draw wouldn’t be sufficient for Argentina if the Saudis defeat Mexico within the different group recreation, or if Mexico, improbably, win large.

This could possibly be Messi’s final recreation in blue and white. Whether it is, let no person unleash the previous canard that he doesn’t care sufficient to “sweat the shirt”. In his 17 years criss-crossing the Atlantic for this crew he has received them a Copa America and Olympic gold, and carried them to a few extra misplaced Copa America finals and one misplaced World Cup ultimate — largely very slim defeats which are most likely finest ascribed to randomness. Argentina’s cult World Cup music of 2062 will certainly nonetheless have him within the lyrics.