Grand walk into the sunset

Tonight, you are going to see Lionel Messi play for Argentina, one last time. If you had planned something else in advance, cancel it. For this is not a show which should be seen as a replay but in real-time. This 35-year-old man has not shocked the world by announcing retirement but has gone one level above greatness — he is not going to hang on needlessly.

Argentina versus defending champions France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final is the script which could not have gotten better. Almost everything has been written about the World Cup till now, from how Qatar would be a lousy host to how the heat would bug players! Perhaps, the ignorant forgot, the stadia in the desert venues of Qatar were temperature-controlled with solar panels. The heat generated was by the 22 men on the field in each match, wanting to grab the Adidas ball and bang it into the goal.

The finale boils down to the harsh realities of how only one team can win. In the normal course, a final preview will be a SWOT analysis and then throwing in incidents which give one team an edge. If you are going to use this as a template for predicting this final between Les Bleus and Argentina, it would be stupid.

Messi is great and his greatness never needs a fresh endorsement from anyone, be it fans, former internationals or those who froth on TV mikes. They are paid to talk, sometimes banal stuff, sometimes brilliant stuff. The best commentator, as an expert, will do minimal talking, for the football viewer is knowledgeable and discerning. From the average fan who watches the sport every four years during the World Cup to the daily fan who watches club football non-stop, Messi is a staple diet.

That you will not be getting your staple diet from now on while watching Argentina play as a national team will take time to reconcile. We often hear talk that India must get back the Kohinoor Diamond from Britain. How stupid is that! To think the Kohinoor will be returned is like asking Britain — a nation today in turmoil — to atone for the atrocities perpetuated in India during their Raj.

The Kohinoor Diamond will stay in Britain and Messi the diamond will return to Argentina. Whether he takes the World Cup trophy in his luggage or not, we will know by 10:45 pm IST on Sunday night. If the trophy heads back to Paris, you cannot complain, for France has been sensational this time despite injury scares. If France has done so well with some left home, and Karim Benzema being readied for the final after his injury break, the best European side has shown they are unique.

Two reasons, one is Kylian Mbappé, who will turn 24 on December 20, and manager Didier Deschamps. These two men have been stand-outs, in every sense. Mbappé has proved he is speed and lightning and can make life miserable for anyone. The best part is France has an array of stars in all departments, with Deschamps being the shrewdest manager at the wheel.

It would be no exaggeration to state, Messi will make this final day of the World Cup his own, win or lose. We heard he has aged, we heard he has become slow, and we heard he has flopped multiple times for Argentina in the World Cups. Maybe, a lot of it is true. By deciding to hang up his boots, again something he decided in such a simple manner by talking to an Argentine media house, Messi did not want that to become the news but Argentina winning the semi-final.

Champions come in various hues. Some wear emotions on their sleeves, while some stay low profile. Messi has many meanings. Leo, his first name, means Lion. Yes, he is a lion, began as a cub and then grew big. With another Lion, his manager, Scaloni. Their tango for Argentina has exhibited Argentine flavour and fervour. If Messi has quit before the final, it shows how much clarity is there in his head and heart.

He has attempted this again and again, and the last fling will be so potent, it's going to make everyone weep, cry, and hysterical. Why? Sport is about emotions, how champions give you a high without needing to be on substance. In Qatar, where even Budweiser beer is banned in the stadia, you could get high on Messi. Well, he is going to provide you with that final snort, that final sniff, the final moments. It could be 90 minutes plus injury time. Or, in a worst-case scenario, extra time and then penalties.

Messi is prepared for all this and so is Argentina. All those who are critical of Messi and have done this GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate mindlessly will one day realise how immature they were. Each champion has a place in our heart and head. Leave aside Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Junior. They flopped badly this time, but Messi did not.

Goal scoring, assists, penalties, all that you can see from stats. What you need to see in Messi is much more. If you haven't, till now, do it on Sunday. The way he walks, not runs, his body twists and turns, how he has his eyes on the ball, how he sizes up space in a three-dimensional sense and then showcases his skills will be there to see. It would, perhaps, surprise you, he still plans how to take the penalty. It's not like going and blasting the ball. Each goalie has his way of reacting. The way Messi flummoxed goalie Livakovic of Croatia was well-planned. Messi had chatted with his think-tank, before the match. They had understood, Livakovic liked to see players taking the penalty prepare and then fire the ball with their foot. Messi decided that he would take the penalty so fast, with a short and sharp run-up, and boom, it bulged the top right corner.

If at this age, Messi is planning penalties, you can well imagine how other teams flopped with the dead ball, Spain being a classic example. Messi has been cerebral and, at the same time, conservative. Those who have studied his movements in a computer-based analysis, and even some singers who have observed Messi, know that he does not waste energy. No needless running six miles in one match.

If you were to compare him and Mbappé, it's a stark contrast. Age-wise, they are different, though the Frenchman is supposed to be Messi's successor. Frankly speaking, when comparing legends, to say one resembles the other is bizarre. Each legend in each sport has his or her own style. Comparisons are kind of fictitious.

Messi does not run to run empty tanks on his energy levels. He moves, darts and is present at the right place at the right time. You can call it "assists" in pure football jargon but if you look at it from an aesthetic point of view, Messi has been Messi. No comparison with anyone, not even the Late Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to the last World Cup win in 1986. Messi has seen Maradona as a coach and would have learnt a lot. That he chose to say goodbye to Argentina is a sign of being selfless, not selfish. He knows, five World Cup campaigns are enough, though in club football he sees his continuance simply because he has a lot left in him. His brand value cannot be defined or determined by US dollars or Euros. Messi is priceless like the Kohinoor and to fix a price for him, only football businessmen will do, not the fans.

This edition of the World Cup has been more about break than make, where reputations were blown to bits in the deserts of Qatar which provided the best ambience and infrastructure. Budweiser beer ban in stadia, strict laws relating to not wearing "One Love" arm bands and so on sounded harsh. Looking back, minus lager louts, this World Cup was happy and there was no violence. You can say that FIFA was not transparent with all its deals pertaining to Qatar. Did that in any way stop the football from becoming effervescent? No.

Hours from now, the 22 best men will descend on the green turf. One man, Messi, wearing the blue and white No.10 jersey, will be the cynosure. It has been the case for 16 years now in World Cups. Will Messi become Lion King or will he be remembered as a man with multiple Ballon d' Ór trophies in his cupboard but not the biggest trophy?

Mentally, Messi will be best prepared for the final, as the biggest decision has already been made, he will walk away from the tunnel with that one last wave. Whether he wins the trophy or not, he is going to leave billions of fans in tears, across various time zones, on Sunday. Will Messi shed tears? He has to, for you cannot walk away from your national side just like that. This is why the World Cup, which takes place once every four years, is so big. You have to compliment FIFA for keeping the purity of the World Cup intact. How to say thanks to Messi? Don't bottle up your emotions, weep, cry, or celebrate. And watch No 10 walk into the sunset.