Messi carries Club World Cup on his shoulders

It is no exaggeration to say that the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ is a tournament built on the feet of Lionel Messi, who has passed his prime.

Messi scored in Inter Miami's 2-1 win over FC Porto.

From the controversial decision to include Inter Miami – a team that did not meet any of the criteria for qualification – in the tournament, to the arrangement of them in the opening match, everything revolved around a single goal: to exploit the Messi effect to the fullest. And judging by the crowd of over 60,000 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the opening day, FIFA probably thought they were right.

Luckily the FIFA Club World Cup has Messi

But the Club World Cup can’t live on flashy introductions or Instagram followings. It needs a real beating heart – something to make people believe the tournament is worth watching. And strangely enough, that’s still coming from Messi.

At 37, with all the trophies a player can win, Messi could have stopped. Or at least retired to an honorary role in a prestigious team.

But he chose Inter Miami - a choice that many people considered "retirement", selling the last days of his career to commercial activities. Yet today, he is the one who brought this new tournament towards the light.

The second round of the group stage between Inter Miami and FC Porto was the clearest example. Porto were the stronger, better-organized team and led 1-0 after a first-half penalty. But Messi would not let the game go like that. After Telasco Segovia's equalizer, the 58th minute was the fateful moment: a free kick with Messi's signature - the ball flew as if under control, over the wall, into the far corner of the goal.

A shot that made more than thirty thousand spectators jump up like springs. A moment that made people suddenly realize: Messi is still here, and can still do the unthinkable.

Messi is attracting all the attention at the Club World Cup.

The kick didn’t just win the game. It also reiterated a truth many people are trying to forget: Messi is the embodiment of football in its purest form – where emotion, skill and timing combine to create magic.

He no longer dribbles past five players like he did in Barcelona, ​​nor is he the constant engine he was in PSG, but Messi 2025 is a perfect blend of experience, sophistication and ultimate minimalism. He doesn't appear much, but every time he touches the ball, the crowd holds its breath.

It is no coincidence that after the match, from teammates like Fafa Picault to coach Javier Mascherano, they all mentioned him as a “leader”. Mascherano called Messi a model of ambition and fighting spirit, a leader of actions rather than words.

Fafa put it simply: “It’s great that Messi is on our side.” It was not a compliment, but an acknowledgement of his influence beyond his professional level.

However, amidst the glory, the dark side of the Club World Cup remains evident.

The empty stands

The match on June 20 - despite Messi's goal - was still not a full house. The 31,783 spectators were higher than the previous Chelsea - LAFC match, but still far below expectations for a tournament of this magnitude.

The reason? It could be due to the high ticket prices and inconvenient match time (3pm on weekdays), but it is also a sign that: apart from Messi, the Club World Cup has nothing that can keep the audience.

Thanks to Messi, the Club World Cup is more attractive.

Messi once packed the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the promise of a debut – without playing a single minute. He and Argentina brought Atlanta to life at the Copa America last year. But Messi’s presence, no matter how great, cannot be a long-term strategy for a tournament. Messi is the greatest cheat code football has ever had, but no one can use it forever.

FIFA knows this. They use Messi's fame to launch the tournament, attract audiences, and attract sponsors.

But the bigger question is: after Messi, who will come next? If the Club World Cup really wants to become a prestigious annual event, they need more than just a superstar - they need professional quality, a reasonable schedule, a clear system and most importantly... the trust of the fans.

For now, Messi remains the most effective “talisman”. And the win over Porto could be the turning point for Inter Miami – a team that was doubted from the start but is showing that they have more than one reason to exist in this tournament. Messi will return to his home field in the final match against Palmeiras – the strongest opponent in the group. If he gets through, he will have at least one more match – perhaps in Atlanta or Philadelphia.

And people will still come to the stadium, still chant his name, still hope for another magical moment.

Messi is no longer the future of football. But he is still the present, and that present is strong enough to hold together a league struggling to find its place.

At 37, Messi can’t do everything. But he’s probably doing enough to keep football alive – even in a place where people once thought he was just going to retire. And if this Club World Cup is a success, remember – it started with a free-kick from the left foot that no one else can replicate.

Source: https://znews.vn/messi-ganh-club-world-cup-tren-vai-post1562360.html