The Lionel Messi show rolls into Dallas with the Argentine maestro on the cusp of more footballing history when the World Cup holders face Austria on Monday.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to pull level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record of 16 goals.
The skipper broke down in tears after his first goal, and it later emerged that his father is recovering from an unspecified “health issue”.
Inter Miami attacker Messi had not even committed to playing the tournament in North America until the last moment.
But nobody realistically expected him to be absent from spearheading Argentina’s attempt to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup crowns.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain wizard dragged his country to World Cup glory four years ago, and the lure of representing his nation once again on the biggest stage proved irresistible.
The impressive air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys for Argentina’s second group game against Austria would be the perfect stage for Messi to break Klose’s record.
“In the end, it’s just a statistic and nothing more,” Messi, widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, said.
Victory over Austria would put Lionel Scaloni’s side on the cusp of the last 32 as Group L winners with a game to go, giving Messi the chance to recharge for the knockout rounds.
Austria, managed by the admired Ralf Rangnick, will not roll over.
They too are closing in on the next stage after beating debutants Jordan 3-1.
After the euphoria of four years ago, it is easy to forget that Messi was not always given god-like status by Argentina fans.
There were feelings previously that he had not shown the some brilliance for his country that he did for more than 15 dazzling years at Barcelona.
– ‘Going to war’ for Messi –
Fast forward to now, and even approaching middle age, Messi’s mere presence inspires his team-mates on and off the pitch.
“If anyone thought this group was better off without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important of them all,” midfielder Alexis Mac Allister said after the Algeria show.
He may not have the legs of yesteryear and he now plays more in fits and starts, but the rest of the Argentina side are more than happy to do the dirty work and let him turn it on when he wants.
Scaloni, Messi’s team-mate at the superstar’s first World Cup in 2006, has built an ecosystem around their captain.
“He’s playing with a group of friends, with people that are going to play with their heart for him,” said the Argentina boss.
“Whenever they need to have a conversation with him they can just approach him and it’s really hard to explain whatever he conveys.
“I could stay here with you for over an hour trying to explain exactly what he does, but you need to be there to really understand.
“You need to understand the atmosphere, the ambience.”
Unlike at Portugal, where an ageing Cristiano Ronaldo has become a problem for coach Roberto Martinez, the Argentina players have made plain that they will do whatever it takes to help Messi wreak his finest havoc on opposition defences.
“He’s been my idol since I was a kid. Naturally, you want to repay that,” his fellow forward Julian Alvarez told DAZN.
Rodrigo De Paul, who also plays with Messi at Inter Miami, put it more bluntly: “He makes you want to go to war if he asks you to.”
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