Lionel Messi’s World Cup form is banishing memories of the goal drought the mercurial striker had in South Africa four years ago and electrifying one-time wary Argentine hearts.
Over the years, the forward has struggled to arouse passions in the homeland he departed at 13 to join the Barcelona academy in Spain, leaving larger-than-life Diego Maradona as the undisputed Argentine footballing idol.
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Messi’s sparkling career at Barcelona had seemed faraway for many compatriots, given he was not a familiar figure who rose up through local teams as did Maradona and most of the other South American greats before they headed to Europe.
A quiet World Cup debut in 2006 and a chequered tournament in 2010, where he failed to score and Argentina, coached by Maradona, were thrashed 4-0 by Germany in the quarter-finals, compounded that schism between his global glory and sometimes lukewarm local sentiment.
But with Messi banging the goals in during the qualifiers for this World Cup and scoring four in Argentina’s three wins so far in Brazil, the four-time World Player of the Year appears to be winning over the few remaining holdouts.
“He’s saved us,” said a grinning Paula Arganaras, a 24-year-old shopworker who has not missed any of Argentina’s games at the finals. “He was born with something special.”
Evidence of a ballooning love affair is everywhere.
The 27 year old’s birthday on Tuesday was an all-day celebration for many TV channels. His face smiles down from billboards throughout the capital Buenos Aires.
Children proudly prance around in their No 10 jerseys and fans carry life-size cardboard cutouts of him.
The adulation, though, inevitably hits a historic roadblock.
“Of course, Maradona first,” Arganaras said. “For now, at the moment, it’s Messi, but Maradona is always in our hearts.”
Therein lies the essence of Messi’s conundrum at home.
While Argentines marvel over the striker’s remarkable goals and deft dribbling, he cannot whip up the same fervour as the man to whom he is constantly compared.
To start with, he would have to win a World Cup as Maradona did in 1986, almost single-handedly in an average team.
The Maradona story, born in a grimy slum and later struggling with drug addictions, is also a tale of human flamboyance and flaws that everyone knows and can quickly identify with – love him or hate him.
By contrast, clean-cut and quiet Messi, a devoted partner and father, keeps his cards close to his chest.
Some say the country should just get used to Messi’s tamer style off the pitch.
“He’s not very demonstrative but in his way he’s proving he does have passion,” Fernando Hernandez, a 42-year-old lawyer, said as he watched a game on a giant screen set up in a central Buenos Aires plaza. “In 2010, Messi seemed almost indifferent when he was playing. His attitude has changed this time.”
There was certainly no mistaking Messi’s joy when he scored his first goal at this tournament against Bosnia – just his second in a World Cup. Whether a fired-up Messi can bring home a medal, from the soil of arch-rival Brazil to boot, is another question.
Argentina have not lifted the trophy since Maradona brought it home almost three decades ago.Clearly sensitive to his image at home, Messi has always gone out of his way to stress he pours his soul into playing for Argentina and is evidently hungry for the ultimate win.
But there are compatriots of his who seemingly will never be won over.
“He’s lacking – ‘Argentinism’,” said 48-year-old kiosk worker Claudia Salinas with a little hesitation.
She confessed she flat out “doesn’t like” Messi.
“As an Argentine, I think the shirt weighs very heavily on him,” she said.
“Maradona is Argentine. He wore the shirt with the guts that Messi lacks. That can change, but let’s see if he wants to change.”
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
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The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
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