Life has hit back as only life can — especially in his homeland. First there was that low-hanging street cable that nearly took his head off during an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires. Then in his hometown of Rosario, came a terrifying “We’re waiting for you” message after a shooting at his in-laws’ supermarket.
It was a Hollywood ending that even Tinseltown may have felt was a bit OTT. The hero won the Fifa World Cup at 35, in his fifth and final attempt. He also won the Golden Ball; scored in every round and in the final and in the shootout. Yet there was just the right amount of jeopardy for the watching world to hold its breath.
But since that uber Oscar performance in Qatar, little has gone right for Lionel Messi. Like many athletes, even with life’s ambition box well and truly ticked, living in “happy-ever-after land” remains elusive. And he still doesn’t know where it will be.
