Tribute to Messi

Lionel Messi

The Roman Emperors designed Arenas displaying blood sports to lull the public, providing a false sense of fraternity and celebration, ignoring the mundane tasks of day to day life. Much later, modern sport offers a spectacle of pride and celebration to those who watch and admire it, although it is never easy on those who play it or those associated with it. Cut throat competiton, soaring admiration and a slippery slope that turns mortals to gods and gods to demons, an every increasing commercialisation, all came to define the era's sports, the most definitive and defining of which is Football. So, twently two players, equally divided into two teams, engage for ninety mintues, in what appers to be kicking a ball here and there for the uninitatied. In the arena of this collective game, marked by Jogo Bonito of Brasil, water tight defense and set piece play of Le Azzuri, Tikki Takka of Spain, tragic tale of magical magyars, some individuals stood out. Lionel Messi, the diminutive champion and captain of La Albiceleste is one such individual. 

For over twenty years, the little boy from Rosario held fort, carving his own niche in the beautiful game. The teen recruit of FC Barcelona, a darling of Club fans who witnessed the champion at Camp Nou has had a stellar career at club and international level. A generation grew up watching his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, another defining attacking forward. With over 125 goals in 207 International appearences, 21 of those in 34 World Cup Games, his career, akin to the more eccentric and erratic Maradona is beyond mere statistics. 

I must confess that I only watch Football World Cups, and not Club Football or International Friendlies. Within that limited scope, Messi has entertained with all frills, and inspires a kind of Magical Realism. When the Germans triumphed in 2014 at Brazil, it was curtains down, or so everyone thought. Notwithstanding a shock defeat to France in Russia (Round of 16, 2018), Qatar in 2022 became a fairy tale. As social media echoed Eminem's "Sing winner, Sing for the Year", amidst Peter Drury's immortal words, Messi danced in Doha, striking and assisting with elan, duelling and dancing with much younger teammantes and defenders, enthralling lesser mortals. 

Will we again ever watch a 36 year old subtly deceiveing a 26 year old world class defender ?

Will we again ever witness a fairy tale individual culmination in the beautiful game ?

The show, no, the game goes on. But, thank you Messi for such an entertaining stint, nay an era.  

Tribute to Messi (Prose) 
On the film "Tribute to Messi"

Maheeth Veluvali, 

Thursday, 03rd of September, 2026.

16 Saladi Jamindar Street, Palakollu.