Why Messi Can Still Be Messi

Pablo Aimar, Argentina’s assistant coach, rubs his forehead, Lionel Scaloni, the team’s coach, purses his lips, and lifts his eyebrows ever so slightly, in the manner of confirmation that they’ve just seen what they’ve just seen, their brains processing difficult information.

They are standing in the dugout of a stadium in Kansas City, where the professional men’s team they manage is playing its first game in the 48-nation Soccer World Cup. The defending champions boast the world’s best footballer as their leading man. A genius, who will turn 39-years-old next week, has just secured their first victory by scoring his first hat-trick in a World Cup.