The Passion of Lionel Messi

Even if most of what you know about the World Cup is that it’s currently happening, you might also know that Lionel Messi is involved. The diminutive Argentine is everywhere. At this point, Messi is the undisputed soccer GOAT — or, in fútbol nomenclature, D10S, a portmanteau of his jersey number (10 is often awarded to a team’s most skillful playmaker) and the Spanish word for God. In his native Argentina, though, Messi has not always been beloved as a D10S. In fact, he was once a subject of significant dispute, and even acrimony. In a move emblematic of modern Argentine culture, Messi was deified only after he had become a conduit for national self-pity.