The primary particular person Lionel Messi handed the World Cup to after lifting it aloft on the rostrum of the Lusail Stadium was Angel Di Maria – the 2 of them (69 years between them) have walked the street to glory collectively ever since profitable Olympic gold in 2008.
It was Di Maria who acquired the winner that day 14 years in the past in a 1-0 win over Nigeria from a superb by means of ball from Messi.
They’d already gained the Beneath 20 World Cup collectively and what they each wished was the massive one – their unimaginable longevity meant they’ve managed it properly over a decade later.
Lionel Messi is lifted by Angel Di Maria throughout Argentina’s gold medal marketing campaign within the 2008 Beijing Olympics (left) and after their World Cup remaining win over France on Sunday (proper)
Di Maria celebrates his aim in Sunday’s remaining in trademark vogue to place Argentina 2-0 up
Di Maria was balling his eyes out by means of most of this epic victory – he began crying when he scored Argentina’s second – and he deserves to go down as one of many greats. Why ever have been Manchester United not in a position to get the perfect out of him?
Messi was all the time alleged to be asking Barcelona to signal gamers throughout his time on the membership and as a rule the tales have been large of the mark nevertheless it’s true that he insisted on Di Maria throughout his remaining years on the membership and solely Paris Saint-Germain’s refusal to promote – a lot much less to Barça – stopped it taking place.
When Messi moved to Paris he met with Di Maria in Ibiza a couple of weeks earlier than, though on the time it appeared PSG would solely be a Plan B, executed if Barça u-turned on the brand new deal they have been promising.
Messi’s household have by no means utterly settled in Paris however Messi a minimum of has been pleased near his buddy.
Di Maria was the primary participant Messi handed the World Cup trophy to after Argentina’s win
The pair have been companions within the Argentina facet for thus a few years hoping for this second
4 years in the past in Russia it was Di Maria who scored a spectacular aim for his nation in opposition to France nevertheless it could not forestall a 4-3 defeat within the last-16. And that appeared like being his, and Messi’s, final probability to win the World Cup.
On Sunday night time he was the perfect participant on the pitch for an hour as earlier than scoring the primary he tormented Jules Kounde and gained the primary penalty from Ousmane Dembele’s clumsy problem.
When Lionel Scaloni took him off it coincided with the crew collapsing. His supervisor knew that he may play for not more than an hour.
Argentina had accomplished their finest to cover how far-off he was from full health in earlier rounds in order to not reveal clues to crew choice – it was all the time a case of: save him for the ultimate after which for no more than 60 minutes.
Messi and Di Maria have been on opposing membership groups for almost all of their careers
The season Di Maria spent with Manchester United was considered one of his few profession low factors
Di Maria has all the time been the person for finals. When he left Actual Madrid, Xabi Alonso tweeted: ‘We’ll always remember the zig-zag in extra-time in Lisbon.’
The Argentine winger had set-up Gareth Bale to place Actual Madrid head in additional time within the 2014 Champions League remaining.
He additionally crossed for Cristiano Ronaldo’s late winner in 2011 when Actual Madrid gained the Spanish Cup remaining in opposition to Barcelona – Jose Mourinho’s first season on the membership.
Mourinho beloved him, and so did Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian coach had an issue when Bale arrived as a result of there was not room for Di Maria, the brand new signing, plus Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
However he put the never-tiring Di Maria in midfield and he tailored brilliantly, ending with 22 assists.
Di Maria (again, centre) by no means had a great relationship together with his boss at United, Louis van Gaal
Carlo Ancelotti (proper) adored Di Maria at Actual Madrid and accommodated him in midfield
He by no means settled at Manchester United and his spouse by no means hid the truth that she hated his time there. An tried housebreaking at their Cheshire residence didn’t assist.
There was no love misplaced between him and Louis van Gaal, who as soon as hooked him earlier than half-time in opposition to Sunderland.
The dangerous blood appeared to spill into this match with flashbacks to a 2021 interview when he had stated: ‘My downside in Manchester was Van Gaal. We gained a recreation 3-0 and I made an help and scored a aim however the subsequent day in coaching he confirmed me movies of the passes I had missed.’
Messi and Di Maria loved their second of World Cup glory collectively on the Lusail Stadium
His sometimes-anarchic road-runner fashion by no means clicked with the Dutch coach’s strategy.
Time places most individuals of their rightful place. It actually did with Messi on Sunday night time and far the identical will be stated about Di Maria.
He now has a World Cup medal to go together with his Olympic gold – simply the 14 years between the 2 and Messi all the time by his facet.
