Argentina staged a thrilling match in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Copa America, eventually beating Ecuador 5-3 on aggregate to advance to the semi-finals.
But behind this victory, there is an unexpected protagonist of the story of "almost becoming a sinner" - Messi.
Who would have thought that the Argentine captain, known as the "King of the Ball", almost became a stumbling block for the team in this crucial game? You must know that Messi has just returned from injury, and everyone has high hopes for him, hoping that he can lead the team all the way.
But who would have thought that this star, who is extremely brave on weekdays, seems to have eaten a scale and is determined to stage a "big ups and downs" drama for everyone today.
In the first half, Messi was a bit of a "ball king".
His brilliant passing was as sweet as honey for his teammates.
First, a long ball over the top helped Enzo create a corner.
He then delivered a textbook cross from a corner, and the golden duo of McAllister and Lima worked together seamlessly, with a header and a close-range header to give Argentina an easy lead.
At this time, everyone secretly praised Messi in their hearts: It is worthy of you, the king of the ball! Even if he has just returned from injury, he can play such a brave level.
But who knows, this is just an "hors d'oeuvres" prepared by Messi for us, and the real "big show" is still to come!
In the second half, the direction of the game suddenly became confusing.
De Paul was fouled for handball in the box and gave Ecuador a golden chance to equalise.
However, Valencia of the Ecuadorian team seemed to be determined to be more "unlucky" than Messi, and actually kicked the penalty directly on the post! This is a good thing, the Argentine team escaped, and Messi and his teammates breathed a sigh of relief.
However, God seems to think that this game is not exciting enough, and he has to add more fire.
In stoppage time, Kevin of the Ecuadorian team suddenly had a flash of inspiration and shot at goal, and the ball went into the net! The score was equalized! Fortunately, the game entered a penalty shootout, and this is the stage where Messi is about to stage the drama of "dangerous sinner".
The penalty shootout began, and everyone held their breath, waiting for Messi, the "king of the ball", to show his skills.
But who would have thought that Messi would miss the first penalty in a rare way! At this moment, it was as if the whole stadium was quiet, and everyone couldn't believe their eyes.
Messi, the invincible Messi on the pitch, failed at such a critical moment?
Just when everyone thought Argentina was going to lose the game, an unexpected hero stepped up.
That is the goalkeeper of the Argentine team, Emiliano Martinez, who is affectionately known as "The Big Martin".
I saw that he seemed to have suddenly turned on the "god-level" mode and saved two penalty kicks from the opponent in a row! At this moment, the situation turned in an instant, and Argentina finally won the penalty shootout with a score of 4-2.
After the game, when everyone was cheering for the victory of the Argentine team, Messi looked a little lonely.
The post-game rating was even more surprising, Messi only got a rating of 6.6 points, ranking eighth in the team! You must know that Messi usually stands out with a high score of 9 or 10 points.
This time, not only was he far behind by "Big Martin's" 9 points, but even Lima's 7.8 points, McAllister's 7.4 points, and even Romero's 7.1 points were higher than him.
In this game, Messi was like a protagonist who was robbed of the limelight, watching his teammates shine one by one.
"Big Martin" won the title of MVP in one fell swoop with his brave performance.
This makes people wonder: Messi, Messi, did you leave all your luck in the last game?
However, having said that, although Messi's performance in this game was not satisfactory, we cannot deny his contribution to the team.
After all, it was the brilliant indirect assist in the first half that helped the team take the lead.
Besides, even if you are the "king of the ball", there are times when you miss! Perhaps, this is exactly what Messi wants to tell us: even the greatest players will make mistakes, and the key is to learn to get back up after mistakes.
The game also taught us a vivid lesson in teamwork.
When captain Lionel Messi was out of form, the rest of the team stepped up and contributed to the team's victory.
Isn't that the beauty of football? It's not just about individual heroism, it's about teamwork and collective effort.
Looking back on the whole game, we have to sigh: football is really a sport full of drama! Who would have thought that a seemingly secure match would turn into such a thrilling matchup? Who would have expected that Messi, who is radiant on weekdays, would almost become a "sinner" in this game?
But that's the beauty of football.
It always brings us unexpected surprises and thrills.
Even the greatest players will make mistakes; Even the strongest teams can get into trouble at some point.
What matters is how we get back on our feet in the face of adversity, how we find our place in the team, and how we continue to surpass ourselves in the game.
This game may be a small setback for Messi, but I believe that it will also be the motivation for him to keep going.
After all, a true champion is not someone who will never fall, but someone who can get back up after every fall.
As for the Argentine team, this victory will undoubtedly instill a strong confidence in them.
They have proven that even in the most difficult moments, they can come together to overcome difficulties.
This kind of team spirit is perhaps more valuable than any individual heroism.
Finally, let's hope that in the next games, Messi can regain his form and lead the Argentine team to continue to write a new legend in the Copa America.
At the same time, let's also applaud the players who stepped up when it mattered.
Because it was their efforts that made this game so exciting, allowing us to see the most authentic and moving side of football.
Football is such a sport full of surprises and challenges.
Sometimes it makes us cheer, sometimes it makes us worry.
But it's these ups and downs that make us love the sport so much.
Whether it's a superstar like Messi or an obscure substitute, everyone is interpreting the charm of football in their own way.
And we, as spectators and fans, are so fortunate to be able to witness this.
Let's stay tuned to Argentina's performance in the Copa America and hope that they will be able to create more exciting moments.
At the same time, let's also remember what this game taught us: on the football field, never give up easily, because you never know what will happen in the next second.
As this match showed, the charm of football is often hidden in the most unexpected moments.
The drama on the football pitch is always awe-inspiring.
Just like the match between Argentina and Ecuador that we just witnessed, it is not just an ordinary football match, but more like a wonderful stage play.
The unexpected mistake of the protagonist Messi, the stunning performance of goalkeeper Martinez, and the unity of the whole team all made this game a topic worth pondering.
A netizen commented: "To be honest, the moment I saw Messi miss the penalty, my heart was about to jump out!" Who would have thought that the usually brave ball king would drop the chain at such a critical moment? But on second thought, doesn't this mean that Messi is also an ordinary person? He can also be nervous and make mistakes.
It makes me feel more real and cute.
After all, the myth of perfection always feels out of reach, and it's the flesh-and-blood hero that resonates with us more.
Messi's 'mistake' this time has only increased my love for him.
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Indeed, this mistake of Messi shows us the side of him as an ordinary person.
It's a reminder that even the greatest athletes can miss sometimes.
What matters is how we perceive these lapses and how we draw strength from them.
Speaking of which, we have to mention another hero of the Argentine team - goalkeeper Martinez.
His performance in the penalty shoot-out was like a hanging! Saving two penalties in a row would be an exaggeration in a video game, let alone in a real game.
Martinez's performance not only saved the team, but also taught us an important lesson: never underestimate the potential of any one player.
Some netizens commented: "Martinez is simply the savior of the Argentine team!" Who would have thought that when Messi missed, it was this goalkeeper who is usually not paid much attention to stand up? This reminds me of an old saying: one minute on stage, ten years off stage.
Martinez's usually unsung training and dedication finally paid off at this critical moment.
This is not only an affirmation of him personally, but also the best interpretation of the whole team spirit.
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yes, Martinez's performance did teach us a lot.
It teaches us that in a team, everyone matters.
Even if you're not the brightest star, as long as you do your part, you have the potential to be the team's savior at a critical moment.
This match also showed us the strong team spirit of the Argentine team.
When Messi was not in good shape, the rest of the team did not give up, but worked together to fight for the team's victory.
This spirit of solidarity is the real magic weapon for success.
A netizen said: "I think the biggest highlight of this game is not Messi's mistakes, nor Martinez's brave play, but the team spirit shown by the entire Argentine team."
When Messi missed, instead of pointing fingers at each other, they were more united.
This spirit of not giving up or complaining in the face of adversity, but supporting each other is the true quality of champions.
It reminds me of teamwork in our day-to-day work.
When the leader or core members make mistakes, do we choose to complain or choose to share the responsibility? Argentina has given us a good example.
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This netizen's comment captures the essence of football.
Football is never a one-man game, but requires the whole team to work together.
The team spirit shown by the Argentine team in this game is indeed worth learning from in our work and life.
Of course, we can't ignore the other protagonist of this match - the Ecuador team.
Although they eventually lost the game, their performance was just as commendable.
Especially in the final moments of normal time, they stubbornly equalised and showed a never-say-die spirit.
Some netizens commented: "To be honest, I think the Ecuadorian team is the biggest winner of this game."
Although they eventually lost the match, their performance earned the respect of everyone.
In the face of a strong Argentine team, they did not fear, but fought hard.
Especially when they were able to equalise at the end of the game, that was a really great spirit.
Winning or losing is only temporary, but this spirit of never giving up is the most precious.
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Indeed, the performance of the Ecuadorian team has taught us a lot.
When faced with a strong opponent, we should not give up easily, but persevere until the last moment.
Even if it doesn't end up winning, this fighting spirit is just as respectable.
Looking back on the whole game, we can see that the charm of the football game is not only the final score, but also the brilliance of humanity shown during the game.
Whether it was Messi's mistakes, Martinez's heroic performance, or the unity of the entire Argentine team, and the tenacious struggle of the Ecuadorian team, it made this game extraordinarily exciting.
Some netizens summed it up like this: "This game is simply a miniature version of the script of life!" There are highs, there are lows, there are accidents, there are surprises.
It teaches us that life is not always smooth sailing, and that even the best people will make mistakes.
But what matters is how we deal with these setbacks, how we find our place in the team, and how we persevere in the face of adversity.
Whether it's Messi, Martinez, or the rest of the team, they all interpret these truths in their own way.
This game is not just a football game, but a vivid life lesson.
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This netizen's comment can be said to be the finishing touch.
The reason why football can attract the attention of the world is not only because of its competitiveness, but also because it reflects the various states of life.
It shows us the joy of success, the pain of failure, the power of unity, and the spirit of never giving up.
This game gave us so much to think about.
It teaches us that even the greatest stars make mistakes, but that doesn't detract from their greatness; It tells us that everyone has the potential to be a hero, and the key is to be prepared in normal times; It demonstrates the importance of teamwork and the value of the never-give-up spirit.
Finally, let's look forward to seeing more exciting performances in the next games.
Whether it is the Argentine team or other teams, I believe they will bring us more surprises and touches.
Because that's the beauty of football, it always surprises us when we least expect it.