Messi Can Have The Last Dance Of His Own, But There Are Conditions
JAKARTA - The name Lionel Messi is again compared to NBA legend Michael Jordan. But this time it made more sense.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner has suffered largely from disappointment at international level since winning Olympic gold in 2008.
Messi was awarded the Golden Ball in the 2014 final, when Argentina lost to Germany in the final. Before then losing sequentially in the Copa America final against Chile.
The Barcelona captain will turn 35 at the next World Cup in Qatar, which will be held during November and December to avoid harsh summer conditions.
Meanwhile, Lucas Biglia played alongside Messi at senior international level for seven years. He retired after the Albiceleste were eliminated from the 2018 World Cup by world champions France.
The Milan midfielder recently enjoyed a Netflix documentary, The Last Dance, about Michael Jordan's sixth and final NBA victory with the Chicago Bulls in 1998. He went on to express his belief that Messi can still taste glory on the global stage.
Biglia said, La Pulga could have The Last Dance of its own if it won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
"I finished watching The Last Dance, this film is amazing," Biglia told FM 94.7 quoted from Soccerway, Wednesday, May 27. "It got me thinking that, in a few years, hopefully we'll be able to watch something similar to our own phenomenon.
"(We can) learn a lot about (Messi's) day-to-day life. Because you watch him train, you see him play but so many things happen every day that you don't know, like we saw (Jordan) in that documentary series.
"The scenes I want to see in the future are scenes (like) when Jordan hugs the (NBA) trophy and cries. I want to see him with Messi and the World Cup. I want to see it. I know it will mean something to him and to the Argentine people."
Argentina's defeat in the 2016 Copa America final caused Messi to temporarily quit international football. The reason is, it was their third defeat with the Tango Team in the final of the biggest tournament in South American countries.
Biglia admits it is difficult to see Messi endure so much disappointment with his country given his overall success in the sport.
He added: "Why does someone have to suffer so much? In the last World Cup, seeing how the elimination hit it, that's when you ask yourself, 'why?'. It sticks in my mind. It's not just on the pitch.
"It pains me to see him (Messi) suffer so much and make me ask myself why he has to suffer like that. I pray to God that we can see him (lift the trophy) at the next World Cup in two years time."