Lionel Messis Resilience and Unparalleled Talent Shine in Freezing Cold Conditions: A Tale of Unstoppable Greatness
As the world's greatest soccer player, Lionel Messi has faced his critics and skeptics for years. The persistent minority, predominantly from the UK, has asked: Can he do it on a cold, rainy night at Stoke? The question has evolved over time, following Messi's moves to Miami and beyond. This week, as snow and sub-zero temperatures loomed over Kansas City, the question took on new life: Could Messi do it on a freezing cold night in Kansas?
The definitive answer came Wednesday night: Yes.
With his body clad in black, hand-warmers in his gloves, and a minus-8-degree wind chill biting at his cheeks, Messi scored the only goal of a CONCACAF Champions Cup knockout-round first leg against Sporting KC. Early in the second half, he took a ball down deftly on his chest, wriggled away from Kansas City defenders, and finished with his right foot, off the inside of the far post.
Though he was not at his absolute best throughout the 90 minutes—the temperature was 4 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff, and the conditions were so miserable that despite the star-studded lineup, the stands at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, were half empty—Messi showed up and delivered.
He and his Inter Miami teammates hopped on a plane Wednesday morning, disembarking in puffy parkas and winter hats, prepared for the type of cold Messi had never experienced. And in one of the coldest soccer games on U.S. soil ever recorded, with every heavy breath visible and illuminated by floodlights, with icicles forming on some players' beards, they beat Sporting 1-0. They'll head back to Miami next week for the second leg with an advantage.
In Year 3 at Inter Miami, Messi is off and running, likely toward another MVP award. He endured a crunching challenge inside two minutes and pulled the strings as he always does. He needed only 56 minutes to assure the world that, yes, he can do his thing anywhere. Even at age 37. Even on a frigid night in Kansas.
Lionel Messi's unparalleled talent and resilience continue to defy the naysayers and prove that he is truly a force to be reckoned with on any playing field, regardless of the weather conditions. The image accompanying this article is a photo of Messi scoring his goal against Sporting KC in the freezing cold conditions of Kansas City.
