It had to be him. On this day, in this tournament, for this Argentina side, there was never any doubt that Lionel Messi would find a way to claim the...
It had to be him. On this day, in this tournament, for this Argentina side, there was never any doubt that Lionel Messi would find a way to claim the record. History, as it often does in the presence of greatness, arrived with a familiar flourish. A cut inside from the right channel, that low centre of gravity shifting weight, and a left foot that seems to caress the ball into the net rather than strike it. The first goal, a piece of clinical finishing that unlocked the World Cup scoring record, left Austria's goalkeeper with no chance. It was not just a goal; it was a statement of intent from a man who turns 39 on Wednesday.But Messi, as he has done for two decades, refused to settle for mere history. He added a second with the final kick of the game, a finish so precise it almost seemed cruel to the Austrian defenders who had spent the evening chasing shadows. To suggest that 18 goals, a figure that once seemed the preserve of legends from another era, is a realistic target for this tournament is not hyperbole. It is a sober assessment of the form he is currently producing. Five goals in two group games is a rate of scoring that borders on the absurd, and it has all but guaranteed Argentina's passage from Group J with a game to spare.What we are witnessing is a masterclass in transitional play. Argentina, under their current setup, have found a way to spring Messi into dangerous pockets of space against a low block, allowing him to operate in the half spaces where he is simply unplayable. Austria, to their credit, did not park the bus entirely, but their attempts to press high were sliced open by the simplest of passes. When the ball finds Messi in those central areas, just outside the box, the outcome is rarely in doubt. The margin for error for the opposition is non existent. It is a tactical problem that has had no solution for fifteen years.Is this the greatest individual start to a World Cup campaign we have ever seen It is a question that feels less ridiculous with every passing game. The narrative is already writing itself. A golden boot would be a fitting present for a player who has given the sport so much, but for the man himself, it is surely only a stepping stone towards a deeper ambition. Right now, however, let us simply appreciate the moment. We are watching a player rewrite the record books in real time, doing it with a grace and a cold blooded efficiency that defines his genius. The football world, from the stands in Dallas to the pubs in Buenos Aires, is holding its breath.
