He couldn’t, could he? He could, you know.
After all the agonising failures with his country and ominous signs that his career may be in permanent decline, Lionel Messi looks to have a new lease of life.
But is it enough for him to finally lay his own bogey and end Argentina’s 36-year drought by winning the World Cup?
The question will be asked time and time again, and could become the storyline for the tournament.
But it seems pertinent to ask it now as Messi, who turns 35 next Friday (June 24), and Argentina have struck a rich vein of form.
Qatar’s furnace-like heat notwithstanding, they might wish the competition had stuck to the original dates for it would be on now and not starting in November.
As Europe’s weary soldiers have been forced into an unnecessary slog at the end of a gruelling campaign, Argentina’s season is just beginning.
That said, most of their leading players play in Europe but at least they were spared the demands of the Nations League.
It’s not often this column is sympathetic to the poor, pampered multi-millionaires but this is one occasion.
‘Knackered’ is the only word that can describe England’s performance in which only one goal – from a dubious penalty – was scored in four increasingly desperate performances.
Well, they do play on average about a dozen games more than anyone else.
Back to Messi who endured a miserable start with Paris Saint-Germain after a traumatic switch from his beloved Barcelona.
A long face and labouring limbs told their own story – confirmed by just two goals in his first 18 games.
But he ended up with 11 and 14 assists in 34 Ligue Un appearances and the smile gradually returned to his face.
Then last month, looking like the Messi of old, he bagged all five in a thrashing of Estonia.
And he followed that with another man-of-the-match performance in a 3-0 win over Italy in the Finalissima.
The unanimous verdict was that he’s back.
Not quite back to his vintage prime but his virtuoso display, pulling the strings and making them talk, had the Italians chasing shadows.
It had the 87,000 crowd at Wembley spellbound and brought some meaning to yet another ‘extra’ fixture – a joust between Copa America and European champions.
Whether he can maintain this form – and stay injury-free – until November is another question.
There will be a new manager at PSG as compatriot Mauricio Pochettino has left the club.
But whoever gets the poisoned chalice will surely grant Messi licence to loiter – a la Ronaldo – as well as skip the odd game so as not to burn him out before the tournament.
His friend Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, with whom he’s developing more of an understanding, will still be there although in Qatar, they’ll be on opposing sides.
France and Brazil are probably in the top three favourites – along with Argentina – but Messi has no shortage of top-quality teammates.
Familiar to English Premier League watchers are Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez in goal, Spurs’ Cristian Romero at centre-back, and ex Mancunians, Nicolas Otamendi and Angel Di Maria.
Admittedly, we didn’t see the best of either at Manchester City and United respectively, but they seldom let their country down.
Up front, Messi will have likes of Paolo Dybala and Lautaro Martinez for company.
The fact that they go as South American champions and Messi has his first major international trophy will give them added confidence.
At least one monkey is off their backs and Messi, in particular, feels a huge burden has been lifted.
With Barcelona saying there’s no chance of him returning to the Nou Camp, if he doesn’t want to bow out with a relative whimper, he has to make the next couple of seasons count – and winning a World Cup wouldn’t be a bad way to start.
Showing that the Copa triumph wasn’t a flash in the pan, Argentina finished the CONMEBOL qualifying group undefeated.
And they have landed a favourable draw in the finals.
Their opponents are Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland, and if they win the group, they are likely to meet Denmark in the Round of 16.
The Netherlands, revived under Louis van Gaal, could be their first tough game in the quarter-finals while it could be Brazil in the semis.
We had better stop there, especially as they barely made it though the group stage in 2018.
Messi dragged them through to a late win over Nigeria only for them to submit to eventual winners, France in a 4-3 thriller in the Round of 16.
Now, under the tutelage of low-profile manager Lionel Scaloni, they are eager to make amends.
A journeyman wing-back once at West Ham, Scaloni was promoted from the Under 23s to the caretaker role, but has now become something of a cult figure.
A close relationship with Messi helps.
No World Cup has ever needed a feel-good story like this one although fairy-tales seldom happen in football.
The Little Maestro is in the Last Chance Saloon but at least he’s walked through the swing doors with something of his old swagger.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.