The tears brought you to a July night 36 years ago. As Leo Messi stood there at MetLife Stadium – defeated – on Sunday night, it was impossible not to be remembered. Diego Maradona. “El Diego” was inconsolable as the Germans moved closer to receiving the World Cup at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico after their 1-0 victory in the 1990 tournament.Two geniuses, two completely different characters, but so similar in their effort to defend the last glory that their professional life had to offer. Messi could easily get away after the Qatar high. Few would have questioned Maradona even if Argentina did not match the dizzying heights of 1986 four years later. But they were not ready to give up. The two artist soldiers longed for a trip back to the top of the world, a sort of Odyssey, when resources dried up.Going into the final, just as Maradona’s Argentina were at a disadvantage against a German side in their first round, so it was Messi’s Albiceleste against La Roja who had hit their stride.A look at Argentina’s ball possession in both finals, too, suggests how they struggled to keep pace with their respective European opponents. On Sunday, it was a dismal 35% possession for the Argentines – the lowest of any team in a World Cup final – while available statistics say it was 39% for Maradona’s side against the Germans.Even the red cards – the elimination of Gustavo Dezotti at the end of the game in 1990 – took the last fight out of the Argentines, as for the Copa America champions when Enzo Fernandez gave marching orders on Sunday. Maradona, through the 1990 World Cup, had a team that was past its prime, quite similar to Messi’s this time. Unlike his predecessor, who could not score in Italy, Messi had eight to his name this time.
But then, Maradona’s influence was massive. His assist for Claudio Cannigia took down Brazil in the Round of 16 while the Argentine master’s threat perception prevented Yugoslavia and Italy – both extremely drilled European units – from showing their teeth.Just as Messi missed a penalty against Egypt in the Round of 16, Maradona, too, cleared his lines from the spot in the tie-breaker against Yugoslavia in the quarters, only for goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea to rise to the occasion and save Argentina the blushes.The 1990 World Cup is also marked by the way Maradona divided the host country, even where he played his football club for Napoli. Before the semi-final in the stadium that is now called Diego Maradona Arena, the city of Naples was divided – one group cheered their boy while the other stood with the national colors and the Azzurri.This time, Messi’s Argentina had a similar polarizing effect on the football universe. If you believe the rumor, FIFA played a part in the rise of the champions, while the other stood for the magic of Messi and the incredible ability of the team to come back, again and again.And before the final, Maradona, like Messi, was the biggest threat and the German striker Juergen Klinsman explained on ESPN how they thought to neutralize the impact of the genius. “We know that one moment Maradona could finish. Our coach Franz Beckenbauer told (defensive midfielder) Guido Buchwald to go with Diego wherever he goes, even if it’s to the bathroom… Bucky latched onto Diego every minute of the game, rendering him largely ineffective. Buchwald’s persistence even earned him the nickname ‘Diego,’” Klinsmann said.
Times have changed, it’s no longer the era of man-to-man marking and Spain’s tactics for Messi were a little different. It was left to Rodri and Marc Cucurella to keep him in check when he was in his zone. The idea was to isolate him and dry up the steps to him. It wasn’t until the 117th minute that Messi took his first shot on goal, which could have gone if Mikel Merino hadn’t stopped and taken a bloody blow to the head.The instructions of the Spanish coach Luis de la Fuentes to his team to keep Messi under control were very similar to those of Beckenbauer for his boys all those years ago “I told my players that facing Messi was the biggest challenge in football. Even at his age, he demanded our full respect from the first minute to the last. He pushed us to our absolute limit because that’s what the greatest players do,” said de la Fuentes.The inevitable happened. Ferran Torres looked like an Andreas Brehme figure from all those years ago, putting the dagger through Argentine hearts late in the game. And once the final whistle was blown, two wizards, separated by time, stood on the same platform, tears in their eyes. Only, they weren’t the only ones crying in the world.