You don’t have to be there long in Kansas City to see that Lionel Messi has made of this title defence what he wants. A 3-0 over Algeria, with the captain – who is 39 next week – in front of all the goals, was the message. But the better story was being told beyond the walls of Arrowhead Stadium: people from every walk of life, and across borders, making an effort to be in the stands.
Messi makes it a point
The champions didn’t look like they had any time off. Messi put in a hat-trick and let everyone know he’s still in his prime. To the ones in blue and white, it was worth the trouble and spoke to a kind of loyalty that doesn’t fade with the years.
‘If you want to compare us to anyone, we are the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan right now,’ is how Juan Martin, 43, puts it. He’s from Buenos Aires and, along with his 31-year-old girlfriend Agostina Gomez Uvia, is set to follow the side for a month. They figure it’ll run them some $20,000 apiece for the experience.
It’s in the miles and the money
You have to go a long way from Missouri to find where some of these trips started. You had three fans put in 11,000 miles (17,700 km) on two wheels from South America to get here, and they didn’t even have a ticket to show for it. Then there were those who put in a 20-hour drive and made do with sandwiches to make ends meet.
For a few, it’s not just a case of opening your wallet; it’s a form of devotion, a willingness to give up a little ease to be closer to the action.
What it costs to be one of them
Take Daniel Otero, 73. This is his seventh World Cup and he’s not holding back. He’s putting in the neighborhood of $100,000 to have himself and his two boys in on the fun for the next few weeks. That’s $40,000 in tickets by itself. ‘We are a bit mad for Argentina,’ he’ll tell you.
A few of the more outlandish efforts:
– 17,700 km on a bike for three, no tickets in hand
– 20 hours in a car, running on sandwiches
– One family with a $100,000 tab to be with the team
Old hands, new faces and the jersey
Even some of the old-timers were taken aback by how the US crowd has become part of the Albiceleste. Otero and his son, 27-year-old Franco, couldn’t help but notice the American families in the stands in their Messi shirts. “Put it this way: I can’t put an Argentinian side in my head without Messi,” Franco put it.
Manuel Valdes, 29, is an engineer from Corrientes who made the trip with his dad and brother. “He’s a game-changer,” he said. “You have to draw a line in the sand. There’s a before and after.” In a way, you could see how for some, having him there made the concourse of the stadium something of a shrine.
You didn’t have to go far to see that. Out in the parking lot, 11-year-old Andre Cornuz from Miami was up on a van with his dad, hoisting a flag while the band Los Sin Entradas got their drums in order. A huge banner with a picture of Messi and the words ‘Lio Te Quiero’ was on full view. “I was brought up with Messi,” Andre told us.
Kansas City makes the most of it
The people running things in town were on top of it. Pam Kramer of the local committee in Kansas City has a story about some Argentine cyclists who showed up in Johnson County with no tickets. “We’re going to make sure you get to a match,” she said, and they did.
Three hours to go and you had lines winding around the place. Cops on horses were keeping an eye on things as folks from out of state made their way through. Jorgelina Skorput, 34, is from New York but made a two-day drive with some friends, even put up at an Airbnb an hour off to be frugal and have a sandwich or two.
She’ll put the tab for the whole thing at $2,000, ticket ($800) and all. She was born in Rosario but has been in the U.S. since she was nine. “This is a now-or-never kind of thing,” she said. “I don’t think I’m going to get another opening to watch the World Cup like this. We are the champions, after all.”
What it means for the rest of the run
The victory was more than a mood lifter. It was a story in itself: a team making its point and a following ready to put in the miles and the money for it. The opener set the standard for the month.
And the energy is going to keep going. The guys with the band in the lot? They’re headed to Dallas for the next one and then “wherever we end up.” That’s the whole point of this title defence: a home crowd on the move, all for one icon.
Here’s what we saw in Kansas City:
– A hat-trick from Messi to put some steel in your spine
– Long lines well before the first whistle
– Some good-natured help from the community when tickets were hard to come by
– Fans ready to tag along to Dallas
Argentina made their case early and loud. But for the fans, it’s the ride. Be it 17,700 kilometers on a bike, a 20-hour drive or whatever it takes, the word from here is plain: you defend the title on the field, but you’re carried by a kind of loyalty that doesn’t slow down.
