Lionel Messi is inevitable.

Inevitable is such a special word. It’s the definition of inevitable, inescapable, something where no matter what you try and do, you simply can’t stop the outcome. It is the wall of destiny that crashes against you, without hope or desire. But the word inevitable also relates to the eternal because it is the ultimate act of force that lives forever in the psyche of the recipient, knowing that what is about to happen will actually happen and that not only will you not be able to stop it, but you will never forget it. It’s Lionel Messi. Eternal. Inevitable. The Argentina captain led his team to a remarkable, almost unbelievable, comeback as the defending champions fell 2-0 down to a heroic Egypt and completed the ultimate comeback. It was the performance of a man who, at 39, doesn’t know how to end a chapter. But I will also say that, aside from Messi, it was also about his teammates and how their intoxicating efforts to come together and overcome adversity shone through. Messi was their hero, but this victory required an army to back him up. We’ll talk about that in a moment. On Tuesday in Atlanta, Egypt and Mohamed Salah – a legend in his country and beyond – fought like warriors and if history had been fairer, we might have seen them as victors. Hossam Hassan’s team deserved something in this grueling battle. And there’s an argument to be made about his disallowed goal and how it should have looked based on the flow of the game. Regardless, Egypt scored again and took a 2-0 lead, thanks to some fascinating counter-attacking work from Salah and Haïssem Hassan, who literally gave it their all. Then there’s the talking point of actual performance. Argentina, once again – just like the poetically highlighted and exploited Cape Verde – was not good. It lacked so much fluidity, and Messi also struggled against a resilient defensive line and missed a penalty attempt, making him the first player in World Cup history to miss two penalties in a single tournament (aside from penalties). Egypt, who led 2-0, had just 10 minutes left before they could secure their biggest win ever and a historic quarter-final berth. It could almost open the doors to the promised land. It was there for the taking, and if it had ended that way, no one would have criticized the victory. We would have accepted the result, even the Argentinians. In fact, this was already accepted since towards the end of the match, before Argentina scored the first goal, you could practically hear a pin drop among the Argentine fans. They had almost understood the result. They liked the ending. Argentina was on the verge of losing its right to defend its World Cup. But that’s not how Messi works. He does not accept a scenario of which he is not the author, and once again, as coherent as the sunrise or the sounds of an ocean, the inevitable has happened. He got up. After dazzling repeatedly in the box in the second half, but to no avail, the first uppercut finally came in the 79th minute, when his assist on Cristian “Cuti” Romero’s goal became the first sign of life. The crowd rose again, shouting and chanting, knowing that life had returned. The inevitable was slowly slipping behind the door. Four minutes later, the ball flew into the box and Gonzalo Montiel recovered it to find Leo, who crushed it after bouncing off the crossbar. That’s when the stadium vibrated and shook with a thrilling heart as Argentina drew level. The telling of the story is also about the heroes we don’t remember, including Leandro Paredes, who made a crucial save from an Egyptian counter. Moments later, Lautaro Martínez found Enzo Fernández as the winner and, in one fell swoop, Argentina had scaled the mountain and planted its flag. The whistle blows. An emotional Messi started to cry. His teammates rallied around each other, consoling his emotions and celebrating his accomplishments. Messi’s tears weren’t just about the physical and mental extremities required to create this incredulous evening of pure magic. The tears also represented the fact that he was still alive, both at this World Cup and in the arms of his beloved Argentina. The emotion represented exhaustion as we all witnessed, once again, an unforgettable match. A tale for the ages. A story that will continue as Lionel Scaloni’s team continues to defend its title. In the end, the feeling was so beautifully alive for all Argentinians and especially for Lionel Messi. In the end, they threw it into the air to celebrate a victory that will stay with them forever. If you ask me, I think the tears, the emotions, the sacrifice, the raw, undying display of tired catharsis – it’s all just the proverbial residue of something much stronger at play: the inevitability of Lionel Messi.