Penton: Messi the star of stars in soccer
By Bruce Penton
Sports has its stars and its superstars but only a handful throughout the 21st century could be deemed megastars. The megastar list might include Wayne Gretzky, Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Pele, but Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi has the credentials necessary to join that exclusive group.
For more than 20 years, Messi has starred on the world stage, playing in a record six FIFA World Cups, leading Argentina’s national team whenever international competitions are held and is the leader of the Inter Miami team in Major League Soccer. But if North American sports fans were unaware of Messi’s brilliance, they got a first-hand look at the megastar in action in Argentina’s first World Cup game, played in Kansas City against Algeria. At the age of 38, all Messi did in his team’s opener was score all three goals — his first World Cup hat trick — in a 3-0 victory, bringing his World Cup career goal total to 16. That tied him with former German striker Miroslav Klose. With five or six more games to go, Messi is almost certain to be No. 1 by the time the World Cup ends in mid-July.
Messi played in his first World Cup in 2006, when he was a fuzzy-cheeked 18-year-old with star potential written all over him. That potential manifested itself into the football legend the world knows today. He spent the first 17 years of his career with Barcelona in the top Spanish league, La Liga. He then spent two seasons with Paris and the latest four with Inter Miami. In those 23 seasons Messi accumulated 579 goals in 644 games. He was at his most prolific during his Barcelona days, averaging more than a goal a game (464 games, 474 goals).
Argentina has won three World Cup titles through the years, the latest coming in 2022 when Messi led his team to victory over France. Only two other teams have won consecutive World Cup championships and Messi would love nothing more than to help Argentina pull off a repeat title this year.
As Gretzky's 99 is the revered number in hockey, Messi’s No. 10 is the most recognizable in the world of soccer. Messi nearly had four goals in Argentina’s opener against Algeria, but one of No. 10’s markers was disallowed due to an offside infraction.
“I’m at a loss for words about Leo,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni told an Associated Press reporter. “What can I say? He's incredible.”
Since he’ll be 42 when the next World Cup rolls around in 2030, Messi will likely be long retired. Statues in Argentina will be erected in his honour, highways will be dedicated to him and the name ‘Lionel’ will continue to be a favourite for Argentine parents to name their babies. And who knows, he may be the first 42-year-old to ever play in the World Cup.
“This is my sixth World Cup and I still feel like I’m in good shape,” Messi told the AP.
Toronto’s Keegan Matheson, MLB.com reporter, on the troubles experienced by the Blue Jays’ high-paid star Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.: “On all the baseball teams he’s played on his whole life, Vladdy’s used to being 'the guy.’ Now, he’s the problem.”
Cathal Kelly of the Globe and Mail, on the Stanley Cup winning Carolina Hurricanes: “The most anonymous good hockey team since the KGB had its own club.”
Jesse Granger in The Athletic, on John Tortorella not being retained as coach of the Golden Knights after being hired with eight games left in the regular season: “As is the case for many trips to Las Vegas, John Tortorella was there for a good time, not a long time.”
Another one from Kelly on the new Leafs’ coach: “(Jim Hiller’s) first order of business — make (Auston) Matthews happy. Everybody knows it. Which means that Matthews is the real coach.”
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “What I heard no one say in the past month: ‘Boy, I hope Jim Hiller is the next coach of the Maple Leafs.’”
Adam Schupak of Golfweek, after Harry Higgs wore shorts — violating the dress code — to Shinnecock Hills for the first round of the U.S. Open: “It's unclear what was foggier — the sky above Shinnecock, which was so soupy it led to a two-hour weather delay or Higgs’s mind.”
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, on the UFC cage matches on the White House lawn to mark America’s 250th birthday: “Nothing says patriotism and ‘America’ quite like a bunch of guys punching and kicking each other.”
Headline from fark.com: “Sorry. rooting for Iran at World Cup is not allowed. Please cheer for only approved countries. Thank you for your time.”
Another one from Cote, on the NBA finalists’ respective stars: “Imagine (Victor) Wembanyama standing next to Knicks 6-1 star Jalen Brunson. A silhouette might look like a father walking his small son to school.”
Columnist Mike Bianchi in the Orlando Sentinel: “The winning golfer in the U.S. Open won $4.3 million. LIV Golf used to call that sort of money chump change, but now they call it next season’s entire operating budget.”
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