For Messi, mere showing up is showering happiness

young new delhi:‘ convey it on’ is the mental attitude of the world-wide football’s mega stars, especially in an era of social media frenzy. On Monday night, after providing relief to a struggling Real Madrid with an early goal against Alaves in the La Liga, Kylian Mbappe ran up to the corner flag – more to the camera focused on him. He first put up his warrior pose, signifying brotherhood. He went away only to rush back to do the weeping imitation – a message to those criticising his Paris St Germain departure.

For the tag of drama king – and marketing royalty – Cristiano Ronaldo at 40 is still the man. The ‘Siu’ twist-in-the-air goal celebration of the Portuguese is imitated by many strikers across the globe. Then there is the yoga pose of Erling Haaland, and a jump and pump-the-hands celebration for Harry Kane. For Messi though, it doesn’t go beyond jumping on to a teammate or pointing to the skies, that is if the strike is of that significance.

That is why Lionel Messi has looked a touch like an outlier zipping across four Indian cities in three days for his GOAT Tour. As the football icon moved from one cricketing venue to another – barring Kolkata – it shone a harsh light on India’s poor infrastructure for the world’s most popular sport.

The man himself barely seemed to be stirred, with the patent drooped shoulder, gentle smile and the wave of one hand greeting thousands of fans who had paid steep ticket prices to just see the Argentine No.10 in flesh.

The chance of Messi – this is his second trip to India – playing a game had gone after earlier plans to organise an international friendly in Kerala fell through. But communication? Even the ‘thank you’ Messi said to sign off in Delhi, in Spanish, wasn’t translated at the ground.

Still, if this has truly been a wonderful experience for thousands who descended on the venues, many with their young children, it was simply an opportunity to appreciate the magic Messi weaves thousands of kilometres away, in Barcelona, Argentina, PSG, and now at Inter Miami.

The Le Albeceste’s shirt, though, was the fans’ choice in the stands, showing the popularity of the Argentina football team in India. Built by Maradona’s mastery in the 1986 World Cup win and the 1990 runners-up finish, the Argentina football love story has zoomed with Messi in command. As the spearhead of Barca, the World Cup crowning moment still looked distant. Especially after the 2014 final loss. But that wait ended in Qatar in 2022.

The Messi aura has grown on multiple levels. The Ronaldo rivalry, in their intense Barca versus Real fight for supremacy, and the rise of Argentina in the last decade with the finest squad put together in their history. That has made the talisman’s presence greater than any marketing blitz could have achieved.

On this India tour, celebrities and politicians have jostled to be in the same frame as Messi. The gentle smile never left his face, but he lit up only when interacting with fellow athletes – Sunil Chhetri, in a Messi GOAT Tour shirt, at the Wankhede. That arm on the shoulder exuded genuine warmth. The interaction with Sachin Tendulkar was another nice moment.

The Messi whirlwind tour showed what he does with the ball at his feet is the real message.

N Ananthanarayanan has spent almost three decades with news agencies and newspapers, reporting domestic and international sport. He has a passion for writing on cricket and athletics. Read Less ...Read More

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