What the World Cup Win Means for Argentina and Messi

By Anna Segelken

 

Argentina celebrates their World Cup success (Dale MacMilan/Soccrates/Getty Images)

It’s 1986, and Argentina has just won their second world cup, with Diego Maradona as captain. He is regarded as one of the best players in the world, and is nicknamed “the golden boy”. Now, Argentinians want another World Cup trophy. Football is very important to them, with 90% of people declaring allegiance to an Argentinian football club. Who will win Argentina another trophy, and be the “New Maradona”?

Messi, now a famous Argentinian soccer player, was also a superstar child, who moved overseas to train at the young age of thirteen. At the age of ten, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, but his parents did not have enough money to cover the cost of the necessary treatment. Messi’s local club, River Plate, showed interest in Messi's progress, but was not willing to cover the cost either. Fortunately, Barcelona showed interest in Messi and invited him to join the club's academy, so he was able to afford the treatment he required. He played on Barcelona’s club team until 2021, when he transferred to Paris Saint-Germain. Soccer players play on club teams for most of the season, and then return and play for their national teams (in Messi’s case, Argentina) during international competitions, such as the FIFA World Cup.

 Because Messi spent most of his life overseas, the Argentinian people had a hard time connecting with him, and he didn’t have much support back home. One of the major reasons fans didn’t like him was his inability to win a World Cup. Many Argentinians were disappointed in him, and blamed him for the lack of trophies won by Argentina at international level.

Now, with Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup victory, Messi has finally won the support and admiration of his home country. Lionel Messi has been named the "New Maradona" by Maradona himself.

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