another celebration with the Argentine National Team, but with the strange feeling of having fulfilled (almost) all the wishes

There is a recurring question, which every week leading up to June 24 tries to find its best answer: What would you give Lionel Messi for his birthday? This Monday, the world champion from Rosario celebrates his 37 years as has happened on 13 occasions in the last 20. Yes, the football calendar complicates things for La Pulga, who had celebrations in many cities around the planet with the Argentine National Team -mostly- as is happening now in New Jersey, the same place where in 2016 he blew out the candles with his teammates, two days before the final of the Copa América Centenario, which they lost to Chilejust his rival next Tuesday for the second date of group A.

Rodrigo DePaul -its main slope in this cycle in the Albiceleste-, Gio Lo Celso, Alexis Mac Allister y Nahuel Molinadid not give details of the gift that the team is preparing, when speaking before the microphone of Clarion in the mixed zone after the victory against Canada in the debut. The television host Marcelo Tinelliwho interviewed him hand in hand a few days ago, revealed to this newspaper that he sent him to his house in Miami an exclusive bottle of your winewith the drawing of the tattoo that he got on his leg and surprised Leo.

Perhaps, as happened in 2021, the gift from the Albiceleste team will be a combo of elements that were on hand at the Ezeiza property in the middle of the hermetic concentration that was put together due to the coronavirus pandemic. Or like the first time with this group, in 2019 in Porto Alegre, when he received his family at the hotel the day after beating Qatar and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Copa América at that time.

What is certain is that for Messi, it will be the second birthday without having the greatest desire. The one that he already crossed off the list at the Lusail stadium, on December 18, 2022. The one that he asked for for so long and that was fulfilled to close his own Triple Crown by combining it with the Copa América and the Finalissima.

It doesn’t mean that, always talking about sports, there isn’t something to ask for. In fact, each tournament is a renewal of vows. Argentina, due to history and the specific weight of its footballers, always aspires to the maximum, as the protagonists tirelessly repeat, like a cliché.

And in this case, in the United States, an image that has already occurred on other occasions will be repeated, with his family approaching the Argentine National Team concentration to share a moment together. In this tournament, most likely the last continental level that La Pulga will play, are his parents Jorge and Celia, his brothers María Sol and Rodrigo – Matías was not seen in Atlanta -, Antonela Roccuzzohis sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, and part of his wife’s family. A contingent very similar to that of Qatar 2022.

Reviewing his last 20 birthdays, then, the detail marks that He spent it on vacation only seven times. Others 13 were in competition: seven in the Copa América -including this Monday-, four in major World Cups and one in the Under 20, and one with Barcelona. The first time, for example, he went back to Buenos Aires to make his debut in a hurry in the Sub 20.

And returning to the wishes, they have been more than fulfilled with the icing on the cake of the third star for the National Team. As if it were a game, you can list 37 records of any color and significance for these 37 years that celebrates in the United States. In this Copa América he has already become the player with the most appearances in the history of this competition (35) and if he could ask for something, although it is known that he does not like personal statistics but rather group statistics, he would have to cut the four goal difference that They have the Argentine Norberto ‘Tucho’ Méndez and the Brazilian Zizinho, the competition’s top scorers with 17.

Nobody has won more titles (44), more Ballon d’Ors (8), more Golden Boots (6), has celebrated more goals in a calendar year (91, in 2012), has played more games (183) and scored more so many (108) in the Argentine National Team, he has scored against more clubs in the Champions League (40 different ones)… the list is endless.

What is given to Messi, then? For now one cake with fruits (mainly strawberries), which according to the photos that have been shared all these years of that moment of celebration, has been a common denominator. The same one that was seen in the last celebration, in Rosario, on the day of Maximiliano Rodríguez’s farewell match, which marked his return to the Marcelo Bielsa stadium at Newell’s, just before leaving for the Inter Miami challenge.

He will not be the only one at the rally in New Jersey to blow out the candles, he will also Diego Albornozthe chef who has been accompanying the Senior Men’s National Team for 25 years. “Once he told me, because he has to keep those accounts, that he had spent more birthdays with me than with his family.”the chef confessed in an interview after Qatar 2022.

“May he be happy”, responded one of the many fans who waited at the door of the hotel in the city of Atlanta, the first stop in the defense of the title. The thing is that if Messi is happy – paraphrasing another June 24 birthday boy like Juan roman riquelme-, almost certainly the Argentine National Team will continue to bring joy and fulfill wishes. If there are any left…