The Divinity of Lionel Messi - A Theological Explanation

 

The Great Pilgrimage to Qatar

His worshippers have come from Singapore and Los Angeles, from Egypt and Nigeria and Iraq. They’ve come in droves from all parts of Argentina, but also en masse from India. Almost a million people have descended on Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, and tens of thousands are here as devout followers of one man and one team, Lionel Messi and Argentina. Only a fraction of them, though — perhaps a minority — are Argentinean.

They’ve come from China via Denmark, from Australia and Korea and Bangladesh. They’ve come from metropolises and remote villages, from nearby and from afar. They speak dozens of different languages and practice several different religions but, above all, they share one.

“Messi,” said Amrita, a middle-aged fanatic from India, "is our god."  - Yahoo News

The "Divine" Lionel Messi - The King of Soccer

On December 18, 2022, Lusail Stadium secured its place as a world grail temple of football and architectural history. Not only for it's immense yet exquisite, the scale and splendour of this arena is an awesome wonder that evoke a kind of esoteric manifestations, but it all yielded it's icon status to Lionel Messi

At this world stage, when the oviation was loudest, the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the French President, Emmanuel Macron joined over  88,966 spectators and the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino to watch in awesome wonder, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modaric, Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as the host of other world soccer stars and fans finally bow to the player some call "La Pulga Atomica" (the atomic missile or atomic flea). 

Is Messi Truly Divine

One frowning journalist asked: "I'idole" if he was truly divine or a god. Messi responded with a smile. He never sees himself as a god or has he ever claimed to be one. He is a player "I try to entertain for 90minutes or so and let people go home to their lives... and I, back to put food on my family's table and help others I can reach.  I could never consider my self a god."

It isn't uncommon for fans and speculators to feel as if they are exposed to some sort of religious experience while watching football at the highest level. In general, the average human being is incapable of doing pretty much anything professional footballers are able to execute in the field of play. Where spectators commonly feel they are viewing religion, many of the great footballers feel they are experiencing it first hand. 

Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players in the world, is an example of an footballer who has faith in his religion and wears it on his sleeve (literally). Messi belief is Catholicism. 

Although for Messi religion isn’t discussed frequently in public, on certain occasions he has been open about his faith in Catholicism. While growing up Messi’s religion formed due to his family’s beliefs and the way they raised him. Argentina’s official religion is Roman Catholic Christianity, with 92 percent of Argentine citizens considering this to be their religion even though less than 20 percent practice their faith regularly.

The soccer star appears to be at least somewhat connected with his faith; he has a tattoo of Jesus Christ on his upper right arm and a tattoo of the Rose Window, a window located in the Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona, on his right elbow. 

But many things had happened in the past that we may come to the conclusion that Lionel Messi religion of Catholicism is clearly a part of his life, but not the center of the world. Where the Catholic Church has provided him with faith and comfort that he has used during his soccer career, his life does not revolve around practicing the religion. 

Signs that Messi May Be "Divine"

Well, many other things has happened also as signs that may get you thinking. Few days into the World Cup in Qatar, rumours broke out that Pele, the one known as king of football or god of football for decades was dead. And Zlatan Ibrahimovic speaking prophetically several days before the world Cup Final said:

"These things get supernatural, sometimes beyond human explanations, I have seen it several times in football careers and in my experience. I think the stars, the course of nature itself, everything in the heavens and earth has aligned for the last and final glory of Lionel Messi...Messi will lead Argentina to win the world Cup and finally crowned king of football perhaps, of all time or to replace Pele"

We the drama of the Lusail final, Kylian Mbappe and France didn't make it easy at all, but at end, the 4 -2 penalty shoot out that gave Argentina the victory really showed it was destined for Messi to finally win the one trophy missing in  his career: The FIFA World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi

The comparism of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi that has been on for over 15 years or so, may have finally been settled. It is a clear distinction between a Man made footballer and the one made by the creator Himself. Ronaldo was an epitome of what a perfect footballer should be like. Well built and trained real hard according to prescription to be in best of shape always is winding down at 37. But Lionel Messi like an old wine is getting better and better with age. His skills,  play and demeanor is truly Divine.

Messi, seven Ballon d'Or winner, who won the Golden Boot six times with more than 700 goals and who won everything with Barcelona (10 LaLiga Santanders, seven Copa del Reys, four Champions Leagues..

There are many athletes whose skills have been thought to require the language of the supernatural in order to be properly described, but it’s hard not to take these descriptions as flights of fancy or literary exaggerations. In the case of Messi, not just because of the way he plays but of who he is and where he’s come from, the recourse to the religious analogy is an apt one 

Some Say He's God-Like On The Pitch,

Lionel Messi may have been deified and worshipped by many fans for his outstanding abilities on the pitch that is out of this world and is often referred to angel or 'god' of football by his adoring fans.

He was playing like God, better than us all,” a childhood friend of Messi says in Álex de la Iglesia’s 2014 documentary Messi, recalling their days as 10-year-olds playing in Rosario for Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys. Messi and his career often evokes this kind of comparison.