Tag Archives: sport

Messi Magic & the Fairy Tale Ending

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22nd November 2022. The first World Cup Group C match in Qatar.   Score-line Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina. A stunning upset. A huge disappointment and shock for the millions of Messi fans across the globe rooting for his first World Cup victory with Argentina in his fifth appearance. The dream seemed to have ended before it even began. Social media trolls brutally took over and the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) was ridiculed by comparisons with the Camel; unflattering memes became viral with graphic references to what happened to the GOAT.

Not winning the World Cup with Argentina has long been the albatross around Messi’s neck. Many pundits have derisively called him out with, ‘What has he done for the national team?’ For the record, he won the Olympics gold medal with the Argentine squad in 2008. In 2005, he won the U-20 WC and picked up both the Golden Boot (top scorer) and Golden Ball (player of the tournament). He carried an average team on his shoulders to the finals of the 2014 WC where Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany. Pictures of a forlorn Messi holding the Golden Ball trophy, looking at the one which mattered the most, made headlines around the sporting world. In 2015 and 2016 he again powered an ordinary national side to the finals of the Copa America. The defeat by Chile in 2016 devastated him to such an extent that he retired from international football.  Thankfully, he changed his mind a few months later. Even in his home country, he was not embraced wholeheartedly as he had moved to Barcelona, Spain as a young teenager. The huge shadow of the flamboyant legend Maradona, who won the WC in 1986 for Argentina, seemed to follow him everywhere on the international stage.

In 2021, Messi finally broke the jinx by captaining Argentina to the Copa America trophy and once again being adjudged as the Golden ball winner. In the same year, he won a record 7th Ballon d’Or trophy putting him in the stratosphere of one of the greatest footballers of all time. He graced the Barcelona jersey from 2004-21 scoring 672 goals with 266 assists in 778 games and winning 34 trophies. The intensely loyal Messi would probably have played his last game at Nou Camp. However, shockingly the talisman player’s contract was not renewed by the Catalan club due to a financial crises, aggravated by the pandemic. Very few sportsmen have achieved such glorious success over such a long career at the high levels of competitive sport. But after winning his 5th Ballon d’Or our sporting icon said, “I would prefer the World cup over five Ballon d’Or trophies.” Vamos Argentina!!

Over these years Messi’s magic has been such that it has added another X factor to the beautiful game. Exponents like Pele, Garrincha, Jiarzinho, Zico, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho from Brazil instantly come to mind. Osvaldo Ardiles and Diego Maradona also spiced up the South American flavour and servings. Messi’s artistry and ball skills have often been called ‘Insane’, ‘Other worldly’ and ‘Alien’. His vision, balance, sudden turns and acceleration have stupefied both defenders and spectators. His saucy dribbles, sublime free kicks and the art of the chip finish have brought gasps and smiles and sheer jaw drops. Take his assist to Alvarez for the goal against Croatia in the just concluded WC. A great solo run, dribbles and feints and even stopping once before making that lethal pass backward from outside the goal post for the goal strike. The Croatian defender Jorko Gvandiol is recognised as one of the best in the business.  But the Argentine maestro simply outclassed and outmanoeuvred him. The Brazilian great Ronaldo has observed that the 35-year-old Messi has changed his game with his age, “The 30 scoring actions and passes are now reduced to 10 but he remains the decisive player. His sporadic entries into the box but he is the killer. He plays on the minds of the opponents all the time.” The Brazilian champion pays Messi the ultimate compliment that, “He is happy that Messi has won the WC with the caveat that otherwise the 2 Latin American nations are bitter rivals on the football field.”

Lionel Messi, the idol, is adored by his Argentine teammates. They passionately worked and played to hold aloft the Holy Grail of football for their country, their team and especially for their captain. Angel Di Maria who impressed and scored in the final with a Messi assist had this to say, “I always dreamed of playing with him, having him by my side every day. Every time we go with Argentina national team it seems very short.” Martinez, who won the Golden Gloves award as the best goalkeeper, is even more heartfelt,  “I want to give him life. I want to die for him.” Please check out the viral video when after the penalty shootout against the Netherlands, the entire team runs towards the goal scorer but Messi crosses the field to hug Martinez who is lying on the ground. The goalie’s saves had won them the match.  Messi the match-winner has scored 98 goals in 172 games for Argentina. Equally critical has been his role as a team player and creator with 58 assists.  Assist refers to that final definitive pass to a team-mate or setting up a team-mate to take the goal shot. It is worth pointing out here that Brazil, France and England were favoured to win the WC. But coach Scaloni built up a team around Messi with the likes of Martinez, Di Maria, Hernandez and upcoming star Alvarez who scored 4 goals. Lionel Messi was blessed to have a team which grew from strength to strength with every outing.

What about the Messi Mania? It’s a global, social phenomenon rarely witnessed. The world went bonkers. Not only did the sale of the No 10 Messi T-shirts break all records but there are social media posts of guys getting married in these T-shirts. Prayers were conducted at places of worship across the world for the folk hero to achieve his dream. Kerala, Goa and Kolkata saw huge cut-outs of the star with fresh garlands put on every day. What is there about the Argentine football legend which has touched millions of hearts across the planet?

His humble upbringing was in Rosario, Argentina. His growth hormone disorder (GHD) and the medical treatment his modest family could not afford. Then Destiny intervenes. FC Barcelona (thanks to their scouts) sign up a 13-year-old Messi and agree to pay for his medical treatment. Probably, the best deal in the history of football. Then, the youth team at the Barca Academy and the rest is history.  Still, it astounds many many football fans as to how a 5 ft & 7 inches Messi has been outrunning and outsmarting much taller and better-built opponents for so many years. There is also the undeniable fact that very few human beings have carried the burden of expectations this man has and has ultimately triumphed on every count. During all his struggles, he has shown that a monster competitor lurks within him co-existing with his sublime skills and sporting nature. Despite the intense pressure, he has conducted himself with grace, poise and a sportsmanlike attitude. The private Messi has kept a low profile about the outstanding work of the Leo Messi Foundation in the areas of health, education and sports. Many pundits are now hailing him as the greatest athlete on the planet and not just the GOAT footballer. How the hell can a 35-year-old play all the matches full-time in the high-pressure WC and still rise to the occasion whenever it mattered?  Lionel Messi has transcended his sport.

Let’s listen in to another great sportsman cast in the same mould. Roger Federer, “Fairy Tale stuff, Argentina. Time and again you Leo Messi have redefined greatness. It’s a privilege to watch you. Congrats, Leo. Special and historic.”

So it is that most of the footballing world and fraternity rejoiced when Messi and Argentina lifted the WC trophy. It was both relief and ecstasy after the greatest final game ever played.  A fairy tale ending for Messi and his team. A small nugget of interesting trivia. Both Messi and Mbappe, the French star, play for PSG (Paris Saint Germain) which is owned by the Emir of Qatar through the Qatar Sports Foundation. Some things are meant to happen. As Messi’s ( Golden Ball winner) incredible career draws to a close, the 23-year-old Mbappe (Golden Boot winner) will be looking forward to more goals and glory.

The True Power of Sport

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Photo by Antonino Visalli on Unsplash

25th June 1983. As the midnight hour struck, half of Ahmedabad was on the streets. My friends and I must have walked across the city for a good four hours- but with a spring in our steps and joy in our hearts. We soaked in the bonhomie and the festive atmosphere. The street vendors were running out of their delicacies. There was a hunger for more, as Indians savoured a famous victory. Thousands of miles away, Kapil Dev had lifted the Cricket World Cup at the hallowed Lord’s ground, sending much of urban India into delirious celebrations. We could do it! We had beaten the colonial masters on their own turf in the semi-finals and had triumphed over the great West Indies team in the finals. 36 years after independence we were still finding our own identity and confidence as a country and Kapil’s Devils had played a seminal role in a nation’s awakening.

June 1995. The Rugby World Cup in South Africa. Let’s listen to President Nelson Mandela, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite the people as little else has…It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers.” He should know. It was the genius of Madiba to use the 1995 World Cup as a strategic instrument to reconcile the blacks and whites, and bring peace to a country fractured by five decades of apartheid. Just 5 years earlier when Mandela was released from prison the country seemed to be on the verge of a civil war. Springboks, the national rugby team was for long a hated symbol of white supremacist rule. The African National Congress would have liked nothing better than to marginalise the sport- a passion for white Afrikaners. But when Francois Piennar’s team defied odds to beat the seemingly invincible New Zealand All Blacks in the finals, it became the game that healed and united the Rainbow Nation. This was beautifully captured in the movie ‘Invictus’.

Civil War had been raging in the Ivory Coast for 5 years. Enter Didier Drogba, Chelsea star and Ivory Coast forward and the most famous man in the country. After helping the West African country to qualify for the 2006 World Cup the footballer went down on his knees in the dressing room. Surrounded by his teammates on live television, he begged both the warring factions to lay down their arms. Within a week his fervent appeal was heard and a ceasefire worked out. By 2007 Drogba’s call for peace had become a reality.

On the podium after the 200 mtrs finals at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised a black gloved fist as the US anthem was played. This black power salute was to highlight the racial discrimination and abuses faced by their community back home. They also did not wear shoes to show the poverty and neglect of African Americans. This created headlines around the world. As Smith later said, “We had to be seen because we couldn’t be heard.”

A year earlier the most famous athlete on the planet, Muhammad Ali, had refused to enlist in the brutal war in Vietnam. “Man, I ain’t got no quarrel with them- Viet Cong.” As for going to jail he shrugged it off with, “We ‘ve been in jail for 400 years.” Such acts of defiance not only gave momentum to the Civil Rights struggle but also gave a fillip to the anti-war movement gaining ground in the USA.

Sport is a major force in shaping social consciousness and change. In India till the early 90’s the national cricket team was synonymous with the metros- Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore and Madras. Now the second tier and small towns have stepped up to the crease. Ranchi, Shrirampur, Agra,Roorkee, Vadodara, Amroha are all home-towns of well-known India cricketers, some of the Men in Blue.

Adivasis and tribals, forgotten people for centuries, are now being swept into the mainstream through sports academies and disciplines like hockey and archery. Limba Ram a poor tribal and then Padmi Shri awardee from Rajasthan became a breakout star archer in the early ‘90s. Some of our celebrated hockey players also hail from such alienated and exploited communities.

The Phogat sisters from the deeply masochist and conservative Haryana upended all social norms by winning international medals- in wrestling of all sports. They have become the inspiration for many young girls in the region. Driven by their father Mahavir Phogat their story has been well narrated in ‘Dangal’.

The fabulous Mary Kom has brought the beautiful North East into the national consciousness through her boxing feats. PV Sindhu, the 2019 World badminton champion is not only an inspiration to millions of youngsters but has gate-crashed into the exclusive preserve of a few top cricketers as a media celebrity in her own right.

Across the seas, the inner cities in the UK, France, Italy or the US suffer the plague of unemployment, lack of opportunities and crime. Sport plays a key role in reducing crime. It removes young men, the main perpetrators of random crime, from the streets. Kicking a football or shooting the hoop gives the embittered young to experience a sense of achievement as well as an outlet for their frustrations. It provides a positive channel for their restless energy. In India also it has been harnessed to good effect like the heartening ‘Bridges of Sport’ initiative of Akhilesh in the city of Nagpur, which led to India being represented in the 2010 Homeless World Cup.

Then there is the fairy-tale appeal of sports. Mark Edmundson was ranked 212th in the world in 1976 when he won the Australian tennis Open. He also worked as a window cleaner and floor polisher at a hospital to make ends meet. His modest take on becoming the champion, “I knew the game of the top seeds, but they had not seen mine.”

The Brian Clough managed Nottingham Forest were a football team’ of outcasts and strays’ who made people believe in miracles in the 1977-78 seasons. Not only did they lift the First Division title but also the European Cup. Leicester City too in 2016 put a smile on millions of faces by doing the impossible- lifting the Premier League title.

Muhammad Ali’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ in Zaire in 1974 was one such story. The menacing George Foreman, with a fetish for KO’s, was in prime form. Ali at 32 in decline and many worried about whether he would survive the punishment. The rest is history. The stuff of sporting legends.

Yes, the sporting world has seen its scandals and shown its dark-side from time to time. Ben Johnson and Marion Jones have been outed as drug cheats. The former Soviet bloc countries have been tainted with state sponsored doping. Many baseball stars in the US came under the cloud for using performance enhancing drugs. Lance Armstrong has been stripped of all his Tour de France titles. On a lighter side, his best-selling auto- biography ‘It’s All about the Bike” is now to be found in the Fiction section of bookstores and libraries.

The football and cricket worlds were especially rocked by the match fixing and spot-fixing sagas. The Italian League came into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons and some top teams had to be black-listed. Even the gentleman’s game fought to regain its credibility but it was shocking to see the skeletons tumbling out of the cupboard. The reputations of powerful bodies like FIFA and BCCI have been sullied and tarnished. Exposes have revealed that top FIFA officials were even bribed to allot the World Cup to certain interested nations. There was even a concerted effort to legalise cricket betting in India. After all, it is a huge shadowy business.

Despite all this, the reach and influence of Sports continues to grow. The 2008 Beijing Olympics was watched by an estimated audience of 4.7 billion people over 16 days.  The 2018 Football World Cup final in Russia had an audience of 1.1 billion.

And what about the life lessons and management lessons which playing and watching sports can teach us? Tuning into or reading about Alex Ferguson, Brian Clough, Johann Cyruff, Mike Brearley, Frank Worrell, Phil Jackson and Francois Piennar provides a masterclass in leadership and people skills. Team-work, collaboration, motivation, communication, focus, hard-work and practice, dealing with failure, experimentation, risk-taking, analytics… the entire gamut of things.

In 2018, the world was captivated by the story of the Thai Cave rescue. 13  junior football team players and their 25 year old Assistant Coach were trapped for 18 days in a cave labyrinth after severe monsoon flooding. Let’s listen to a Thai psychiatrist who treated them at the hospital after their miraculous rescue, “One of the major reasons for everyone surviving is that they are part of this football team. They care and look out for each other. Lot of love and respect for their coach. They listen to him.”

No wonder Sport speaks a universal language, and carries the great power to change things for the good.