James Horncastle in The Athletic: ‘Lionel Messi found himself surrounded.
Tens of thousands of fans looked down on him at MetLife. Billions were watching around the world. And yet he couldn’t look more alone.’

And: ‘He slipped off the boots Adidas had made specially for him, a pair called the Last Tango.’

Also: ‘The first player to reach Messi after the full-time whistle was Ferran Torres. The player he hoped to be. The match winner. Instead of consoling Messi, his Argentine teammates were embroiled in a brawl. Leandro Paredes was at the heart of it, bringing more indignity to an occasion already besmirched by Enzo Fernandez, whose sending off left a tired team shorthanded as they prepared to play extra-time for a third time this tournament.’

It's the difference between a Last Tango in Paris and one in New Jersey.

Different sorts of indignity. But great acting.

(a sf 2185)