A blast from the past- Di Maria, the summary of a genius

2008 at the Olympics, 2021 in Copa America, the Finalissima earlier this year, and now the World Cup final, Four times the wiry Argentine has come up clutch with goals in finals for Albiceleste. 

Angel Di Maria is something alright. His talent is at a level comparable with only a few, but a career at Real Madrid beside the limelight, and behind Ronaldo and Ozil, a failed tour of duty under Louis Van Gaal's regiment at Manchester United, and seven years in a Ligue 1 that begs for eyes has meant the winger placed lowly in perceptions of greats in his generation.

However, what looks like one last hurrah with the Argentine national team, at a World Cup final, has reminded everyone just how good the dynamic winger is.

Di Maria now 34, and in service of the Old Ladies, had fitness levels in doubt building up towards the World Cup, as he had spent a chunk of his young Juventus career on the sidelines.

A performance of class by the electric winger against UAE in the preparatory friendly for the World Cup easily allayed doubts and brought memories of an impeccable Copa America campaign from him flooding in, and so did great expectations.

Suboptimal fitness levels, team form, age or caving under the occasion, one cannot tell, but Di Maria was not at personally expected levels.

He did not carry nearly as much threat nor provide the unique dynamism from outside only he could throughout the group stages, save for glimpses here and there. This coincided with an Argentine early tournament slump.

The knockout stages came with earlier fears of the 34-year-old winger's fitness brought to the fore, with the winger born in Rosario suffering from a knock.

A change of system and the emergence of new heroes meant Argentina started and conquered the knockout stages without employing the services of Di Maria, save for an eight-minute appearance in extra time against the Netherlands.

Di Maria was an unused substitute in the semi-final where Argentina were cruising to victory, and giving minutes to fringe players, causing many to wonder if we would ever be graced by his presence on the field anymore in Qatar.

Lionel Scaloni as we have come to expect, made tweaks to his starting line up which to a degree of surprise included Angel Di Maria, and on the left wing. 

We have gotten used to seeing the winger that can comfortably play on both flanks, play predominantly on the right in recent times for Scaloni.

An attempt at a curve ball on Scaloni's part maybe, but the delivery could not have been better if he meant it.

Di Maria was like a man on a mission. He was reminiscent of a skinny winger from Benfica who took Europe by storm. He was Van Gogh, and the right side of France's defence was his canvas. He was a chef and he chopped through Jules Kounde as easily as a guillotine released vertically.

All he had was a little over an hour, and the Barcelona right-back would probably have him to thank, for giving him defence material to use with Xavi as a case to not play in that position on the right that he so dislikes.

In one hour, 34-year-old Di Maria completed four dribbles, created three chances, won a penalty off another Barcelona-employed victim of his, Ousmane Dembele, and finished off a brilliant team move with a well-dispatched goal.

If the game had ended in 90 minutes, Di Maria would have been the undisputed man of the match in a game where Messi scored, that was the level of his performance.

But with 60 minutes more and a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, it's easy to forget the work Di Maria put in up until that point.

In the future, maybe ballads would be written about only Messi and Mbappe's performance in the final, but those who rewatch the game would realise Angel Di Maria is worthy of as much praise, if not more.