Lionel Messi's world cup win was a beautiful thing. This short article captures the essence of it and references `late style': "the final works of a composer or writer—when the decay of the body can’t help but inform artistry, when creativity is infused with the bumps, bruises, and wisdom of a life almost fully lived." For this crowning achievement to transpire - after so many close calls - near the end of one of the greatest careers in the history of sports, in the greatest final of the biggest event in sports is poetic. It also turns out to be the thing I cared most about as a sports fan, and given so many prior heartbreaks, to have a favorable outcome in this manner is beyond belief.
I have always been quite fascinated by the neurochemistry of why and how sports affects me in a particular way, and though it is controllable, I let it be for the heck of it. In any case, as I prepare to retire from a life of fanatical and hysterical sports-watching, I felt like recounting some visceral experiences, viewed via the lens of the past 10 world cups. 1990 was when I officially became a teenager. In a certain sense, 2022 is when I think I can finally stop being a teenager.
May 1986. My dad brought home an issue of 'The Sportstar' that previewed the World Cup in Mexico. I still vividly remember the feature page that had a photo of a sombrero-wearing kid with a football in hand and the Azteca pitch in the background, and reading about an earthquake that had happened a few months eariler in Mexico. I had never heard of the World Cup nor had I ever watched or played football. He told me how big a deal it was to the world. A REALLY big deal. I absorbed that information, but didn't watch the matches. Some context here : '86 was when most people in India were able to watch a football world cup on TV and consequently Maradona became the idol for hundreds of thousands of Indians. I took up football and eventually played for my school team circa 1989. Sometime between 86 and 90, I got into watching sports seriously: Cricket (India), Tennis (Agassi), and Football (Maradona/ Argentina). Later this madness/addiction extended to Maryland basketball, Federer and sometimes the NBA (Chris Webber's Kings were my first love).
The following 32+ years have been an emotional rollercoaster (as cliched as that sounds, I think it is on point), punctuated by very rough landings every 4 years, though there were some real highs like Federer, Maryland basketball and Indian cricket. However, my intensity also made me a terrible sports fan. Tip of the iceberg: Since 2014 (or was it 2015?) I have developed a habit of not being able to watch parts of games (not just soccer, but also Basketball, Tennis, etc) when things don't go my way or even if is close to 50/50 and too tense. Example: In this world cup, I did not watch the last 40 min of the Saudi Arabia game, the first 63 min of the Mexico game, the time between Messi's penalty miss and Argentina's first goal in the Poland game, and about 20 minutes of the WC Final. Thus, this is the story of a terrible, hysterical sports fan who finally retired happily from terribleness and (potentially most of) the hysterics on December 18th 2022.
July 1990 Final 0-1 Germany. In the buildup to Italia '90, I started rooting for Maradona and Argentina. This was accelerated by the shocking opening round loss to Cameroon which is also the first time I remember crying over a sporting event. As the match was winding down, I remember pulling up a bedsheet over my face and quietly sobbing. My sister knew though. Argentina recovered somehow, and played (very) ugly yet gritty football all the way to the final. The final was, however, a disaster. Two Argentines sent off, and Germany won on a penalty. By the end of the world cup, my obsession with Argentine soccer and Maradona was well and truly underway. I don't know the particular reason why, but let's say it may have had something to do with his skills and passion (it was a sight when one of the best players in history is crying uncontrollably) and plainly and simply - my neuro-receptors were just about ready for obsession.
July 1994 R16 2-3 Romania. By now, sports was central in my life. I would start every day by reading the entire sports section in the newspaper. At least until 2000, I could narrate the score of each of the 64? games played in the '94 world cup. In fact, I still remember the scores from the QF, SF and Final. After an incredible start to the tournament led by a rejuvenated Maradona, the team fell apart when #10 was suspended for taking ephedrine. The R16 match was a great one for the neutrals but when Hagi made it 3-1 in the 2nd half, it was curtains. Maradona was excited (from the stands) when it was 3-2 with about 15 min to go, but that's how it ended. I was watching this with my cousin who was an ideal foil for my vices at that time. I'd closely follow the end of Maradona's career.
July 1998 QF 1-2 Netherlands. This was a good, but not great Argentine side which had gotten by England in an absolutely thrilling 2nd round match. This game was tied 1-1 and Ariel Ortega (incredible dribbler and great playmaker) went down in the box for what I thought was a penalty. Instead he was sent off for diving. In the very next minute - before I could absorb that shock - one of the greatest goals in world cup history happened. Dennis Bergkamp (one of my favorite players) controls a 80 yard pass and shoots, all in one incredible move. Stunner. I was watching this at home and some younger (and adoring) collegemates had come over. After this goal though, I went upstairs, and refused to speak to anyone. The guests even tried to console me, but I didn't speak to them or anyone for about 24 hours.
June 2002 Group stage 1-1 Sweden. Argentina arrived at this world cup as the favorite to win it all. The team was fabulous: Crespo, Veron, Ortega, Simeone, Zanetti, Ayala and Co. were at the peak of their powers, and Batistuta was still very good (and scored in their only win). Bielsa was considered one of the best coaching minds. But it just never worked, and I remember the team not having width when attacking. Needing a win, they were able to tie Sweden in the 88th minute, but no joy. This was in my shared grad student apartment in Maryland perhaps past midnight. I was devastated.. took a walk and remember seeing a guy in an Argentina jersey who seemed even more sad than me. Then I drove up to Baltimore airport and back for no reason.
June 2006 QF 1-1 (2-4) Germany. This was again a great squad with a good coach (Pekerman) and among the favorites. Argentina took the foot off the gas pedal after they scored, only for Klose (oh! I hated him) to equalize and lose on penalties with Messi on the bench. I was flipping mad. Vidya's best friend was visiting, but they knew enough to leave the house before the game, and Vidya claims that they came back to see some of the furniture upside down.. and left home again. I suspect I must not have been in a good mood for a few days.
July 2010 QF 0-4 Germany. This was a very good squad with amazing young players (including Messi Di Maria, Tevez, Aguero, Higuain), but it was coached by someone who was terrible at his job (Maradona! and I had was at his international coaching debut in Glasgow and came within 2 feet of him). Nothing much to say except it felt incredibly embarrassing. It seemed like the European brand of soccer finally overtook the South American brand (Europe had never won 2 in row until now). Vidya was (more than) a legit soccer fan by now, was watching and could understand.
July 2014 Final 0-1 Germany. I was watching this in downtown San Francisco in a wonderful outdoor setting with thousands of fans (98% of whom were supporting Argentina). Argentina had a good but not great squad. But they had prime Messi and improved throughout the tournament and became really solid by the final match, especially on defense. I erupted with the crowd when I thought Higuain had scored in the first half. He infamously missed another open chance in the 2nd and Messi had missed a harder but makeable opportunity. Germany had more of the ball, but Argentina clearly had the better scoring opportunities. Deep into extra time, I saw a dangerous looking situation and closed my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I learnt that Gotze had scored. I immediately walked towards the car, texted a postdoctoral fellow (whom I had driven to the game) to come to the car and didn't speak for about an hour. It was quite simply devastating it looked like 24 years of pain had vanished. The worst day of my life as a sports fan (in retrospect, not anymore). I only mustered the courage to watch the goal 7 years later (after Messi won the Copa America).
June 2018 R16 3-4 France. Argentina had a bad start to the tournament and sneaked into the 2nd round against a really good France team. This is the only Argentina WC match I haven't watched over the past 32 years. When this match was on I was flying on a Cessna over Northern Michigan to a party and was following the score on a spotty internet connection. I was ready to jump off the plane when Di Maria gave us a 2-1 lead, but alas.... France was too good that day. I was disappointed, but not distraught. I had a decent day overall with normal behavior, attended a nice party and it got even better when Portugal lost to Uruguay. By this time, Messi had lost 4 international finals, getting to the end of his career and winning something big (even the Copa America) seemed impossible because Argentina did not have the quality of players they had in the 90s and early-mid 2000s, and seemingly the gap between Europe and South America was unbridgeable now.
Dec 18 2022. Final 3-3 (4-2) France. Things did start to look a bit different in the Summer of '21 when Messi won his first senior-level international trophy and appeared unchained. But still, this was just the South American championship and the game has recently been ruled by Europe. Besides, there were at least 5 other countries that had better rosters than Argentina. Despite the bad/unlucky start to the tournament, Argentina consistently got their tactics right, Messi was playing at a very high level and the pieces around him fit really well. Going into the final, it was clear to anyone that it was going to be one of the most significant games ever played in any sport. The fact that it was Messi's last shot itself was big enough, but how about a GOAT candidate's chance to be placed alongside Maradona vs a younger star who would surely be placed alongside Pele if he won...not to mention the possibility of back-to-back WC wins..and.. the Golden ball and boot were in play. We watched the game in a (fellow maniac) friend's house with a number of Argentina fans. They had TVs in 3 different rooms and several bedrooms at our disposal to watch/suffer in our own terms, or to have a moment or just to go sulk or take time off. Boy did we all use those amenities or what? It was pure mayhem, with lots of hugs, kisses, kids being thrown in the air, groans, moans, etc Argentina dominated the match and should've won easily, but some mistakes almost sunk them. The ecstasy (x2), the agony (x2), the ecstasy, the agony, THE SAVE and when the last penalty was scored, I finally felt so light. Despite some of the aforementioned lows, sports has always been net positive, and greatly enriched my life experiences. But for this particular fairy tale to have the best possible ending makes it the best day of my life (and my wife approves ha!). As the impossible seemed possible a couple of weeks ago, I had declared that I would retire my sports fanaticism, and finally grow out of my teenage years. #micdrop.
