A Kolkatan who has seen from the stand Lionel Messi play on several occasions, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and then in Spain, was at Lusail stadium in Doha to watch his favourite star lead Argentina to the 3-0 victory over Croatia in the semi-final.
Avijit Das, 58, who celebrated the win with Argentina fans on the streets of Doha early on Wednesday, recounted how LM10 was different this time and how fans celebrated now and back in 2014.
Messi
Das felt Messi looked “more focussed” in the semi-final against Croatia, compared with the 2014 semi-final against the Netherlands and the final against Germany.
Determination: “I was at the stadium on all three occasions. I am not an expert but as a football lover and diehard Messi fan, I felt the determination that I saw in Messi during the match against Croatia early on Wednesday was missing in the 2014 semi-final,” Das said over the phone from Doha on Wednesday.
“I thought it was now or never for Messi yesterday. He looked focussed on winning the match. There was an aggression which I did not see in 2014,” he said.
“LM10 and millions of his fans like me know this is his last chance to win the World Cup. There is a desperation in his play. It was perhaps reflected in the way he ran from the half-line and gave a pass to Julian Alvarez from almost zero angel. I was mesmerized like everyone else in the stadium.”
Involvement with team: Das thinks Messi is more involved with his team this time. “I have seen Messi play for Barcelona in 2016, 2017 and 2018 in La Liga matches. On the field he seemed very much involved with his teammates. But that involvement, I feel, was missing in the two matches I saw in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil,” Das said. He gave several examples.
Argentina supporters after the match against Croatia; (right) fans play drums outside the Lusail stadium on Wednesday Avijit Das
“The Argentine goalkeeper made a save during the match against Croatia. I saw Messi running to the goalkeeper from almost the halfway line to appreciate the goalkeeper. This I had not seen in 2014,” said Das.
“Also, he was celebrating the goals with his team. This time he was leading from the front. We can feel it from the stand.” He also cited how Messi was speaking to the referee, making eye contact with him, several times when his teammates were fouled by Croatians.
“In the 2014 semi-final and final he seemed aloof. On the field he was all by himself,” Das said.
Support from teammates: Das feels Messi did not get the support from his Argentina teammates in 2014. “In Barcelona, I saw in all the three matches how Messi would get support from teammates like Xavi and Iniesta. But in the 2014 World Cup final, he seemed all alone,” said Das.
In the semi-final against Croatia, Messi was getting constant support from his teammates. “There were several players around Messi when he was with the ball,” Das observed.
Netherlands and Argentina players enter the ground during the semi-final of the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil Avijit Das
Celebrations
Das, who was celebrating with Argentina fans outside the Lusail stadium, felt the atmosphere was more electric at Rio de Janeiro, where the 2014 final was played.
Argentina fans, he said, were crossing the border to Brazil in thousands to watch the final. He recalled that many Argentina fans were staying on the Copacabana beach. “It was like a carnival,” he said.
After the match against Croatia early on Wednesday, Argentina fans were beating drums and cheering outside the stadium and in Metro. “They were celebrating till late at night, but nothing could compare with the madness in Rio,” he said.