Messi breaks World Cup record (yawn) – but Argentina party is more than just the GOAT

ARLINGTON, TX — In the Argentina national team, everything can revolve around Lionel Messi. It's true on the field, where Argentina players often look to their 39-year-old 'astro' to make something happen. It's true off the field, where it seems every shirt in the stadium has his No. 10 on the back - except for the throwbacks that have his No. 19.

So, some of the luster was taken off Argentina's matchup with Jordan when Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni announced Friday that Messi would come off the bench. And, of course, fans chanted for Messi from the 46th minute onward, hoping to see the star come in.

He did, eventually, putting the icing on a 3-1 victory over the World Cup debutants in a half-hour of action – perhaps more than fans were expecting when they heard he'd come off the bench.

But it was the rare occasion that it was not a night about Messi. It was about Giovani Lo Celso, who finally made his World Cup debut after waiting through two previous cycles, scoring to boot. It was about Nico Paz, Messi's heir apparent making his first World Cup start and ending the night having connected on 50 of the 53 passes he attempted.

And it was about the Argentina fans, who for the third time in as many games in this tournament filled the stadium.

The anthem of the 2022 World Cup, "Muchachos" is becoming a bit passé, with new anthems being written and sung for this year's run. However, when it got going the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the noise made it sound like the Monumental or Bombonera in Buenos Aires, reaching volumes never heard during American football contests.

Other songs were sang just as forcefully, with Argentina fans having had all day to get ready for the 9 p.m. local kick.

"It was an incredible and unique stage. I think every player dreams about being in a World Cup game, being able to give your all, represent your country," said Giuliano Simeone. "I'm very happy about that."

As the traveling Argentine carnival moves to Miami for the round of 32, then Atlanta for the round of 16, it will only grow larger. Many fans planned to start their U.S. journey in Miami and are waiting for the team's arrival there next week. But it is remarkable just how many fans have come.

Clearly, there are casual fans there to get a glimpse of Messi, but there are plenty cheering as loudly for Lo Celso as they are for his fellow, more famous Rosario native.

That wasn't what the team needed, and it wasn't what Messi needed. Messi still scored, a record seventh straight World Cup match with a goal. But tonight was about allowing others to step into the spotlight.

"What you all see, I see too. It’s a bit of an uncomfortable situation when you guys ask me this, because I don’t know what to say any more," Scaloni said Saturday night when asked what he saw from Messi. "The only thing I can say, if I can add anything, is he could’ve played 90 minutes today. He could've, without diminishing the opponent, made that legend even bigger.

"He preferred for his teammates to have minutes, he preferred to think about what's coming, and that speaks more than well of him. He doesn't think about these numbers people talk about so much."

As Argentina heads back to its base camp in Kansas City, it will return to business as usual. Messi will likely start the round of 32 match against Cape Verde. He will play a hefty load of minutes. After scoring in each match of the World Cup group stage, he will be the primary focus of the Argentina attack, and opponents will struggle to stop him.

There will come a day when Argentina will not be able to depend on Messi, on the field or commercially. It will be a blow. Yet, as the Argentina supporters sang for all their muchachos Saturday night, it became clear that despite Messi's enormous gravitational pull, the national team is more than one man. Those supporters will be there going from stadium to stadium, country to country, long after Messi decides his career is over.

For now, they're glad they still can enjoy Messi, can sing his name, can watch his goals, can wear his name on their back and can root for a team still spearheaded by one of the best to ever play the sport.