Sao Paulo: The World Cup can only hope that Lionel Messi is leaving his best for last. In his most important World Cup match to date, the superstar was neither super nor a star.
The four-time world player of the year was a bystander for large chunks of Wednesday’s semifinal.
The match dragged on into extra time and then still finished 0-0 in large part because Messi failed to leave his mark on it as he has done on hundreds of others for Barcelona, his club, but not for Argentina, his country that needs him now.
In the penalty shootout, Messi did score the all-important first goal that his team mates then built on, heaping intolerable pressure on the Netherlands after their first shooter, Ron Vlaar, saw his effort saved.
But Messi’s contribution to Argentina’s win pretty much started and stopped there. His thousands of fans in the crowd chanted “Ole, ole, ole, Messi, Messi!” but he didn’t really do anything to deserve it.
Bottom line: Messi needs to be spectacular in the final against Germany on Sunday if he is to put his stamp on World Cup history like Diego Maradona. (AP)
