Another World Cup, another opportunity to get excited and dream again.

For those readers who are new, let me introduce myself. I’m Ariana, and I’m a die-hard Argentinian fan of La Selección. One thing people may not know about us is that Argentinians are very serious about our soccer—always, but especially during the World Cup.

After all, we’re the defending world champions. Argentina won its third World Cup in Qatar, and we have the privilege of watching the one and only King of Football, as the world has crowned him—rightfully so: Lionel Messi. We are all privileged to witness him play, and we’re even luckier that he’s ours.

Lionel Messi deserves an article of his own. His exemplary sportsmanship, his once-in-a-generation talent, and skills that seem to come from another galaxy have earned him a place among the greatest athletes in history. But beyond football, he is an extraordinary human being.

To truly understand what Messi means to Argentina, you have to walk through the streets of Buenos Aires. Everywhere you look, you’ll find murals—one after another—with his face. They are more than works of art; they are monuments to what he gave an entire nation.

Messi gave Argentinians back the ability to dream. After decades of waiting, heartbreak, and near misses, he led Argentina back to the top of the football world and reminded us what it feels like to believe again.

And now, in this World Cup, Argentina has already reminded us of........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)