Signing you in

They were surrounding the man who supplied the cross instead. Lionel Messi. Their captain. Their compass. Their god among mortals.

The players gravitated towards the same figure again after the full-time whistle, this time hoisting Messi onto their shoulders as the stadium sang: “Que de la mano, de Leo Messi, todos la vuelta vamos a dar.” (“Hand in hand with Leo Messi, we’re all going to celebrate the victory.”)

The dressing room echoed the sentiment. “Por la última de Leo, Argentina, quiero verte bicampeón.” (For Leo’s last one, Argentina, I want to see you become a two-time champion)

Alexis Mac Allister wants to be a world champion again — not for his own happiness, but Messi’s. “Making Leo feel happy is the most important thing.”

Lisandro Martínez is overwhelmed not by the prospect of another world title, but by sharing a dressing room with him. “I feel immensely emotional that he is here with us, day in and day out, and at the fact that he is Argentine. There are no words to explain this feeling. We can simply enjoy him.”

Lionel Scaloni does not spend his time arguing that Argentina are the world’s best team, or that he is its finest coach. Instead, he makes the case for his captain. “Leo is the best player in history. What more does he need to do to prove that he is?”

For these men, and for the 47 million back home, Messi is not merely a footballer. He is a hero. A symbol of hope. And countries shaped by hardship often cling to heroes.

Argentina are not strangers to challenges. First came the Dirty War. The Falklands defeat. The hyperinflation. Then came Diego Armando Maradona. Five goals at Mexico ’86, and the wounds were healed.

36 years later, one-third of the nation was living in poverty. First came the currency instability. A dwindling purchasing power. Then came Lionel Messi. Seven goals at Qatar ’22, and the wounds were healed again.

Eight goals, four assists, 41 crosses, 154 attempted linebreaks, 25 chances created — he leads every metric for Argentina. Clearly, a one-man army.

Messi has run less than any other outfield player at this World Cup — not because age has finally caught him, but because his teammates have chosen to carry the burden instead. Every yard he conserves is covered by someone else.

“It is obvious. Everyone in this team is ready to give everything for Leo. Because he does his own things, and we are grateful for what he does.”

Those “own things” are irreplaceable. Only Messi could have bent in the cross for Martínez’s winner against England. Only Messi could have rescued Argentina against Egypt or curled home that free-kick against Jordan. His team knows there is only one Messi. There is only one hero in Argentina.

But for their hero to win the World Cup, they must beat a team that does not believe in one. Spain.

La Roja could easily have elevated a hero of their own. They have the Ballon d’Or winner in Rodri. Yet, when asked if he would trade that honour for a World Cup, he answered without skipping a beat: “Without a doubt.

Winning with your country is the most special thing there can be. Currently, the most important title I have won is the Euro, not the Ballon d’Or. I understand football collectively.”

Luis de la Fuente has preached the same doctrine throughout his tenure.

“We are the best team in the world,” he said after beating France.

Not the team with the best player in Rodri, or the best prodigy in Lamine Yamal. Simply, the best team.

Answering the most important aspect of his team, he had said, “Our strength lies in our unity. We are a team, with a capital T. We have built this concept of family, and it is deeply ingrained. For us, the sense of being a group is the most important.”

“For me, the keyword is ‘team.’ Not individual talent. You can be talented, but must always be at the service of the team. You have to put the common good ahead of individual interests. We view this as a mindset. It is crucial. Individual talent alone isn’t enough to win major competitions. You might win matches with individual talent, but not major tournaments.”

Messi tops almost every attacking category for Argentina. Spain’s leaders are scattered across the squad: Mikel Oyarzabal in goals, Dani Olmo and Marc Cucurella in assists, Álex Baena in crosses, Aymeric Laporte in line breaks, Lamine Yamal in dribbles.

At East Rutherford on Sunday, an epic clash awaits. One team wants to conquer the world for its hero. The other believes it does not need one to be the best. Only one will win.