Lionel Messi - One Last Dance

All good things must come to an end.

Dec 15, 2022

There is a scene about halfway through the final episode of the Netflix documentary, The Last Dance where the Chicago Bulls are in the locker room awaiting Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.

The room is silent, except for the TV talking about Scottie Pippen’s injury problems, as he receives treatment in the back of the shot. Steve Kerr sits off to the side, solemnly collecting his thoughts and in the centre of the room, lying in a shirt and suit pants, Michael Jordan is patiently waiting for what was then going to be his final game in basketball.

“The calm before the storm,” one trainer states as the camera zooms in on the stoic face of their talisman.

Gone is the cocky bravado we saw earlier in the episode, as he listened to the new Kenny Latimore track ‘that’s not even out yet’ ahead of their first game. This is a different Jordan who seems to be coming to terms with the end of his era and how he could go out on the very top.

It’s not fear for what’s to come or the task he has at hand, that wasn’t Jordan’s style, but an acceptance that this is it, this is his Last Dance with the Bulls.

After 95 minutes, the final whistle blew on what was a remarkable game between Argentina and Croatia.

3-0 was the final scoreline, with Julian Alvarez getting a brace and Lionel Messi scoring a penalty.

As a side note, this isn’t going to be one of those articles. Just because I started with a Chicago Bulls/The Last Dance analogy, we’re not going to spend the next 10 minutes discussing why Alvarez is Messi’s Pippen, so you don’t have to worry about that.

If you wanted to lean into that though it’s also Angel Di Maria’s last World Cup as well who has always been Messi’s ‘lieutenant’ when it comes to Argentina… No, I just said we’re not doing that.

This article is purely focusing on Messi as we approach his last international fixture, the World Cup final.

Before the tournament, many feared that Messi wouldn’t be up to the task. Despite his great form for Paris Saint-Germain this season, they thought at 35 years old he wouldn’t have enough left in the tank to carry this Argentina team on his back when they needed to and make it to the final.

Five goals, three assists and the crushing of Josko Gvardiol’s soul later and those initial doubts now seem silly; it shouldn’t be shocking for an unbelievable player to do unbelievable things but still we can be pleasantly surprised.

Now begins the lull; we know the finalists we just need to wait till the main event. So what is going through Messi’s head right now?

Messi confirmed before the tournament that this would be his last time playing at the World Cup. Many would think that would add unneeded pressure ahead of the final, but I doubt he’s feeling fear.

Though Messi is much less outspoken than his Portuguese counterpart how he holds himself on the football pitch and the few times he had allowed his darker side to surface show that he is just as competitive and assured in his abilities as the others.

Like Jordan all those years ago, I think it’s acceptance.

This is his final bow and the eyes of the world will be watching. He said as much to the media after the Croatia match:

“It’s my last World Cup. It is impressive to end up playing a final. There’s a long way to go for the next one, there are many years and surely because of age I won’t get to it. It’s the sixth (World Cup) final that Argentina is going to play and I’ll have played in two. Hopefully this time it ends up another way.”

Though the circumstances are different (Jordan was going for his second three-peat whereas Messi is going for his first World Cup), the narrative beats are the same; the culmination of their entire careers could be decided in their final game.

Instead of having to see Frodo go off to the Undying Lands, the Hobbits return to the shire and the other seven endings of Return of the King, we can end our story with Sauron’s Eye collapsing to the ground after the One Ring has been destroyed.

End at the climax rather than have to witness Bilbo Baggins’ withered state linger on the screen for way too long.

We rarely get to see a player go out on top. Often we have to watch their slow decline until it’s clear we’re witnessing a shadow of their former self.

Even Jordan wasn’t immune from this, though most of us try to forget the two ill-fated years he came out of retirement to play for the Washington Wizards.

What we’re witnessing with Messi is an anomaly, a player who at 35 is still performing to the high standards that we have associated with his entire career.

He might not be the player that he once was entirely, but he is still a level above his peers and in this World Cup especially, it seems he is acting as a conduit for a younger version of himself.

But as we watch one player burn brightly even in the twilight of his career, a new flame is hoping to blaze his own trail towards being named one of the greatest of all time.

Kylian Mbappe could have two World Cups to his name before he’s 24, just think about that for a moment. He also is considered by many to currently be the best player in the world.

Jordan’s opponents in his final game were veteran Karl Malone and John Stockton; this would be the same as him facing a young Lebron James who has hit the ground running.

With a win in the final, Messi has a chance to at least for a moment, put himself back above Mbappe in the current debates while further cementing his legacy.

Mbappe has time on his side to try again but he will be hoping that by making him bleed on the world stage, he will one day be able to surpass Messi.

As much as some people want to say that the winner of the 2022 World Cup is a forgone conclusion, that Messi has the narrative (and as some stupidly suggest, the officials) on his side, the truth is it’s anything but.

Jordan had to shoot 45 points including taking the final shot under pressure which is remembered as one of the all-time great basketball moments (ironically that also has a story of ‘dodgy’ officiating attached to it).

The 1997/1998 Utah Jazz team was talented and determined to win, just like this French side will want to become the first since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.

Messi has done all he can to try and finally deliver his nation their third World Cup and him his first, but if he falters in the final game it could all be considered for nought.

Jordan never lost an NBA Finals going 6/6 and he had two three-peats to go along with his personal achievements and numbers. Messi has a stacked trophy cabinet but one spot remains empty.

A blot on his otherwise spotless resume.

But we return to 1998, at the moment when Jordan was lying there, eyes closed and zoned out the world around him.

He probably wasn’t thinking about his legacy or what people would think of him five to ten years down the line; how they’d write about him or what he’d do after he had hung up his sneakers.

He would have been thinking about the win, his chance at one last moment of ecstasy before he entered the unknown. I think ahead of Messi’s last dance, that’s probably what he is focusing on too.

Messi probably has a few years left at club level, but I think the close of this World Cup will officially start the clock ticking down to zero.

So like Messi and Jordan before him, let’s focus on the moment. Let’s embrace the narrative and get lost in the magic of the sport. Watch a battle of the titans as Messi and Mbappe duke it out.

Let’s enjoy that we get to watch one of the greats do it on the biggest stage one, last, time.

Played on Paper

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