The GOAT's Lightness and Our Burden

Portugal kicked off their World Cup campaign with a draw against the modest Democratic Republic of Congo, and while everything seems to be going wrong for Roberto Martínez's squad, other national teams are cruising, confident in their process, and with everyone understanding their roles in any situation.

Just hours before the famous 'Houston, we have a problem' began to take on the contours of an easy joke, we witnessed a remarkably agile Lionel Messi, a week shy of his 39th birthday, deliver a monumental, historic performance with three goals in a comfortable victory over Algeria. Not only "La Pulga" (or GOAT, as the terms become increasingly synonymous), but everyone around him appears uninhibited, confident, supportive of one another, and consistently making the best decisions for the team. Messi is the first to do so, and he continues to score goals, many of them spectacular. He doesn't need to assert himself. He is accepted. He is revered by his teammates. By the coaches. By the people.

The Argentinians don't appear static against low blocks. They move at a good pace, like a true team. They occupy spaces. They open up others. They smile at the end of each play. They are at peace with themselves. Of course, most of those traveling on the "Scaloneta" have already shed the burden of having to be world champions. Before, Messi suffered. Now, he seems even better, creating sugar sculptures every time he touches the ball.

The Portuguese have not yet shed that weight. Ronaldo still battles the stigma. And Roberto Martínez, whether due to a lack of courage or a genuine belief in what increasingly appears to be the wrong path, cannot help. Argentina found their secret in Qatar, even while carrying that burden, with an "All for Messi and Messi for all" mentality that has permeated every play since.

I don't know if this national team will turn itself around and finally find its way. A path that, forgive the arrogance, seems obvious to many. It would be important for them to succeed so that this isn't another lost opportunity for many in this generation. This is a World Cup, folks!

Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be crushed by gravity. For a long time, the armband hasn't aligned with his attitudes, whether excusable or not due to frustration. At this moment, he himself is a problem. And he is imposed on a system that rejects him.

I don't know if, even showing this strength, this Argentina will be able to retain the title. There are several contenders, some with their own issues. But Portugal is heading towards an abyss due to its own stubbornness in refusing to see the obvious.