SINGAPORE — Just over 12 years ago, on 23 August 2008, Lionel Messi won his only international honour for Argentina – and I happened to witness it in person.
That player, of course, was Messi. He was barely past 21 years of age, yet the 89,102-strong, predominantly Chinese crowd already knew his name. They chanted for him, almost willing him to bestow a moment of magic to win the gold medal for his country. Cursed to be ‘social media’ generation’s bestThis is what happens when a player sustains his brilliance for the best part of the last 20 years, filling social media to the brim with jaw-dropping feats throughout his trophy-laden career. Everyone expects Messi to be the “Messiah” for every match.
When he could not lift his club or country to league titles and cup honours, he was said to have “underachieved”. It was almost as if his Barca or Argentina teammates did not matter; it was as if his 17 first-team seasons, 34 trophies and over 700 goals for club and country meant nothing if he could not win the next match.
So when the Argentinian national team blamed him for missing his penalty kick that cost them the 2016 Copa America title, he promptly announced his retirement from the team, although he reversed his decision soon after. The final straw came when new Barca coach, hardliner Ronald Koeman, dismissed his closest teammates and warned him that he would no longer enjoy “privileges”.
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