Lionel Messi’s Argentina career turned football into a sacred mystery

According to The Guardian, Jorge Messi’s wish for his country to fall in love with his son was realised through Lionel Messi’s extraordinary run with the Argentine national team, a career that concluded this week after a series of memorable performances.

During the tournament, Brazilian writer Milly Lacombe described Argentina’s World Cup journey as “of a sacred order,” a comment that highlighted both the reverence many felt for Messi and the growing anti‑Argentinian sentiment that surrounded the side.

Lacombe also questioned why Messi, a figure with considerable influence, remained largely silent on the racist incidents that emerged around the Argentine squad. She wrote that it was painful to see someone of his stature “choose to make himself small” in the face of such controversy.

The article notes that Messi’s legacy is now inseparable from the cultural and political debates that accompanied his final appearances, leaving a complex and lasting imprint on the sport.