Lionel Messi demonstrates God’s limitations in futile attempt to carry Argentina at Copa America

Argentina 1-1 Paraguay: The Barcelona superstar was unable to inspire his country in a tough draw at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte

So this is a sliver, a glimpse. A night in the life, or at least a night pretending to share a part of the life of Lionel Messi. Reality bent from shape, torn from truth, merely by his presence.

The drive from the city centre of Belo Horizonte to the Mineirão stadium takes a lot longer than normal. Yet despite the slow crawl being down to the early bank holiday traffic trying to cheat the queue to the countryside, him here in town makes it feel like it’s all his doing.

The surrounds of a club ground normally crawling with food trucks and beer sold out of ice baths have been cleared for this tournament and can give a surgical vibe as if paint stripper thrown at a canvas. Vacuous at other Copa America games, officialdom suddenly comes across as apt as if a standing to attention.

Kicking around outside, five hours before the off, and there’s nothing strange about the hippy-like droves of Argentinean fans turning wasteland into campsites – indeed at the 2014 World Cup such were the numbers that crossed the border and slept rough around the final, the Brazilian authorities briefly closed the border. But now it seems unique as soon he’ll arrive.

In fact inside, and after poor crowds at this championship, it’s still not close to full. However it’s the taken rather than deserted seats that grab attention as bums on pews for a deity are a must.

Being a God.

A few years back there was another and different glimpse into the chaos. On the opposite side of the globe, arriving into Kuala Lumpur, and unknowingly at a gate beside where he and his team were due in, the airport hall was scary. A life-size cut out of Lionel Messi was surrounded by kids trying to get photos despite it being cardboard. That is until an adult barged, shunting them aside, and smiled as his wife got his snap. Pathetic but also telling.

On that occasion it was Barcelona though.

This is his country. One that has held him back when, even in doing less across his career, that same country elevated Diego Maradona to arguably higher acclaim. One where a blackout hit last week and the feeling locally was if only it had arrived during their opening defeat to Colombia and it might well have been welcome. Now they’re on the ropes.

Does God have his limitations?

Can God overcome any and all?

It’s 20.51 local time, and Lionel Messi comes out with Argentina to warm-up.

A penny for some thoughts, as doubt isn’t normal in his world.

This is an ellipsis, where usually it’s an exclamation mark.

* * *

After he’d completed his creation, ‘Night Cafe’, Vincent van Gogh wrote a letter to his brother and called it the “ugliest painting I’ve ever done”. But it was and still is considered a masterpiece despite comparisons showing its brutishness next to his ‘Cafe Terrace at Night’.

There was a reason for it being held in such high regard though. It was intentionally grim.

When it comes to Lionel Messi and his art, no botched strokes have ever been on purpose. And excuses at his level only irk. The idea of a hurdle he could not jump once seemed impossible, but as the sand runs through the hourglass and his international career sees a finish line, it’s suddenly closing in on inevitability.

Lionel Messi is taken down by Paraguay (AP)

Already there’s been the retirement after he dragged the lot of his teammates by the scruffs of their necks to a World Cup final in 2014. It was then that detractors lined up looking only at the destination of defeat, and not at a journey that only took place due to it being dotted with moments of absurdity on his part. As for the last World Cup a year ago, he tip-toed away as he couldn’t conquer.

Yet he’s here. Mistake or destiny. He’s here.

Enduring the slings and arrows despite his nation not having a goalkeeper, a defence, a midfield, or even a full-time coach. Enduring the fact that Sergio Aguero is in the dressing room as his choice when the caretaker Lionel Scaloni in the dugout wanted Mauro Icardi to lead the line and the Manchester City player to go on holidays. Enduring the talk that he’s responsible for more of the same, when have-beens have been replaced by never-will-bes.

If his was a run-of-the-mill country, one more nondescript European side as an example, you’d fancy their chances by lazily pitching him into the line-up. But it’s Argentina. Massively neurotic and getting worse. Over and over if feels as if a key cable to psychological stability has snapped and left them constantly in a mass panic that grows as he grows older. When they’ve gone ahead, it’s concern rather than joy. Go behind and it’s meltdown. At either crossroads, he’s not sitting behind the wheel yet everyone is presuming he can choose the direction except the burden is too great in this broken team.

Once there was Jorge Sampaoli and for all his class he dumped a project on top of them they just didn’t have the players to implement. Now crying out for someone like Diego Simeone to merely make them organised and tight and tough, and allowing for Messi to break dour games open as only he can, and they are left with this mess instead. If only.

Maybe it’s on us as we didn’t learn our lesson. If we are talking the greats, it wasn’t just age but company that saw a different Pele in New York as opposed to Santos. Maradona at Napoli barely triumphed as around there weren’t the parts. Even in five-a-side sports where players have a much greater and more complete role in both defense, transition and attack, accepted brilliance like LeBron James couldn’t get the Lakers to the play-offs this season. Stick Usain Bolt in a chubby relay team or Roger Federer with a dud of a doubles partner and see what happens next.

Gods have limits.

Messi is congratulated after scoring from the spot (AFP/Getty)

Arguably Roy Keane is the best example of a single player lifting an entire squad to where they weren’t good enough to be back in 2001. And look how that ended in Saipan. As for Messi, it’s true Barcelona should have won more in the Champions League but that feeling of them falling short is as much a credit to him as a scratch in the negative column. But this isn’t Barcelona. In blue and white it is those with rather than against him that provide the greatest challenge.

It’s 21.25.

Their anthem climaxes.

Pride? Resentment?

Hope? Hopelessness?

A way out? No way out?

Kick-off time against Paraguay. Chances are getting fewer.

* * *

A front row seat for the ballet but straight away the orchestra is off. Music for the night.

Ninety seconds in and Lionel Messi gets his first touch and there are screams but he’s barged off the ball. It’s not until the fifth minute that he picks up an interception and creates half a chance for himself and by the time he’s near the ball again, the clock strikes 14.

He’s out on the right mostly in this spell, and he’s been used to press and hurry a defence. For shame. There’s a brief flutter that tells all you need to know. One minute Argentina try and get him a ball but cannot pass a few yards without being off by a few feet. Seconds later he cuts back expecting the obvious, short and to his feet, but it’s whacked off into the distance. Different languages. Different levels. Darkness cancelling out the blinding light.

Messi appears dejected against Paraguay (AFP/Getty)

By the half hour he passes and beats two defenders off the ball, expecting the return after his work but looks back to see those he left with the most simple of tasks have gotten confused. There’s worse to come. With half-time closing in, pace sees Miguel Almiron power away and his cross into the void sees Richard Sanchez come from deep and fire home.

There are worse things than conceding though. Just before the break a Messi free is gathered by Roberto Fernandez whose punt finds his opposite number Franco Armani playing sweeper-keeper 40 yards from his line and a bad touch is followed by a stray boot. A free-kick, a yellow and time ticks away. Messi turns away. Playing for his nation the beard suits better as this is hard and pointless work at the coalface, not a night out picking up girls.

He leaves for the break. As if Lin-Manuel Miranda at the interval of a prison am-dram.

Overall it’s like watching a team around him with the technical limitations of Scotland but without the fight and minus the heart. There are moments however. A penalty via VAR. He rubs his face and scratches at his facial hair, all signs of pressure. And then he lashes that spot kick hard and right and unstoppable. Not always able to be the boa constrictor torturing his prey, he still finds a way to be the copperhead instead, deadly with one strike.

He picks up his pace. Dropping deep. Now in the middle channel. Looking for give and goes. Coming into a central role. Yet all the while he cannot change those he shares a pitch with.

Nicolas Otamendi gives away a penalty at the other end with a tackle that sees technique and intelligence merge. Derlis Gonzalez hits it but it’s saved and Messi on half-way clenches both fists and runs towards the crowd and punches air again. Someone else has done their job for once. There’s still a chance.

Granted, with seven minutes of injury time it’s telling that Paraguay stop wasting clicks and look confused as there’s a win there, meanwhile Messi makes one last burst, beating two and trying to poke it through to substitute Sergio Aguero but there’s a body in the way.

Full-time. Argentina 1, Paraguay 1.

Boos ring out but not for him.

He’s tried desperately to rise above his country and once again it’s dragged him back. The dead weight perhaps that will always be attached to his achievements and his reputation.

No one said the black hole didn’t swallow up even the brightest of stars.

No one said being a God was easy.