Richard Buxton: Time's ticking for Messi
Argentina skipper's quest for immortality is looking increasingly hard
Every frown line and scowl reveals Lionel Messi's inner torment.
Argentina's captain is not even winning the battle of wills at this World Cup thus far, let alone the war.
| ARGENTINA | CROATIA |
The game is increasingly slipping away from him and he knows it.
Cristiano Ronaldo has reunited Portugal's old gang for one last heist, while Messi is battling to prevent the Albiceleste's own down-on-their-luck cast from blowing their last chance.
It is increasingly less of a debate as to which of the pair can be considered the greatest of all time.
Just two games in, Ronaldo's superiority has shone through with four goals and a place in the record books already cemented.
An 85th goal for his country to open the scoring in yesterday's 1-0 win over Morocco took him ahead of Real Madrid and Hungary legend Ferenc Puskas and made further inroads on the previously unassailable haul of 109 scored by Iran's Ali Daei.
Messi is increasingly caught in a similar case of follow the leader with Ronaldo; one which will stand on a threshold of either definition or destruction tomorrow morning (Singapore time).
Diego Maradona has already ensured Argentina's showdown with Croatia is a high-stakes affair in forecasting that coach Jorge Sampaoli would not be able to set foot back home should his team fail to progress into the knockout stage.
His heir apparent faces arguably the greater retina burning after missing a decisive penalty during last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Iceland, less than 24 hours after Ronaldo's hat-trick against Spain.
A fear of failure tends to drive the best players on; Messi's nemesis is living proof. Tears at the Euro 2004 final were banished 12 years later.
Real's 2011 Champions League semi-final defeat by Barcelona was similarly avenged several times over.
Ronaldo not only eclipsed his rival's haul in Europe's elite club competition, but boasts as many triumphs in the past decade as the Catalan giants have in their 119-year history.
He is football's very own Benjamin Button; his superhuman abilities belie the ageing process while those around him for both club and country stagnate with the inevitable ravages of time.
Messi, however, has shunned adversity rather than embraced it. As a result, the gap between Ronaldo and Messi, who turns 31 on Sunday, is widening. The World Cup's opening round of games has exposed the chasm.
Portugal's captain scored from 75 per cent of his four shots last Friday while Messi drew a blank with only three shots on target from 11 overall attempts.
Repeated failure at international tournaments, including a World Cup final and three Copa America showpieces, have also undermined Messi's quest to be the game's ultimate immortal.
Without tangible success for Argentina, he will remain marginalised as Ronaldo's inferior and stay forever in Maradona's shadow.
Russia represents a last chance to shape his destiny.
PREDICTIONS
Argentina and Croatia to draw 1-1
"This is a tricky tie. Croatia are never easy to play against and Argentina are not the team they once were." - Former Lions striker Aleksandar Duric
Argentina and Croatia to draw 1-1
"I think a draw is a good result for Croatia. If they can stop Lionel Messi, most of the job is done." - Balestier Khalsa coach Marko Kraljevic
Croatia to win 3-2
"Messi can't save Argentina as Croatia take control of Group D." - One FM and Kiss92 news presenter Catherine Robert
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