Messi is still a box office guarantee at the age of 38! Mascherano admitted that the gap is huge, and the Miami International Club World Cup dream is broken

The moment the final whistle sounded, the applause in the Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium was not only a compliment to Paris Saint-Germain's wonderful performance, but also a tribute to Miami International's brave struggle. The 4-0 score seems cruel, but as head coach Mascherano said after the game: "The gap between the two teams is indeed very big. "

This 8th-final of the Club World Cup, to some extent, was destined before the opening. When the draw results were released and Miami International was assigned to play against Paris Saint-Germain, the top European giant, everyone understood that this would be a huge contest of strength.

Teaching of fate: A draw changes everything

Looking back at the last round of the group stage, Miami International had a chance to avoid this "death sign". Facing Palmeiras, the team once led 2-0, and the victory seemed to be within reach. However, football is so cruel. The two goals conceded in the 80th and 87th minutes not only made the victory in the hand vain, but also pushed the team to the fate of a head-on confrontation with Paris Saint-Germain.

The cost of that draw is huge. Palmeiras was able to face the relatively weak Bottafogo in the quarterfinals with his status as the first in the group, while Miami International faced Paris Saint-Germain coached by Louis Enrique. Messi's disappointed expression after the game may have predicted today's results.

Nightmare in the first half: The tactics are completely invalid

The tactical ideas formulated by Mascherano before the game are actually very clear: control the rhythm, avoid conceding early, and find opportunities through set pieces. "We want to play a slow-paced game, avoid losing the ball too early and then create a threat with set pieces. " The Argentine legend said frankly after the game.

However, ideals are full and reality is skinny. Paris Saint-Germain's high-level oppression instantly paralyzed Miami International's pass control system. The tragedy of losing 4 goals in the first 30 minutes made all tactical arrangements a piece of paper. "If we hadn't conceded the ball so quickly, maybe the situation would have been different. But after the second goal, the team collapsed. " Mascherano's words were helpless.

This is the cruelty of top football. When the strength gap is too great, any exquisite tactical arrangement may collapse in the face of the opponent's absolute strength. The technical and tactical level shown by Paris Saint-Germain is indeed worthy of the title of "one of the best teams in the world".

Messi is still the focus: 38-year-old legendary charm

Despite the team's crushing defeat, 38-year-old Messi is still the most watched player in the game. Whenever he touched the ball, the audience would cheer warmly, which made Mascherano deeply feel: "Paris Saint-Germain is in good shape, they won everything, but people are still willing to buy tickets to see Messi, even if he is 38 years old. "

This sentence reveals the true meaning of football. Although competitive sports judges heroes by success or failure, the charm of a real superstar surpasses victory or defeat. Although Messi's performance in this game was restricted by Paris Saint-Germain's tight defense, every touch and dribbling of his ball are interpreting what the art of football is.

"Our plan is to try to find Messi and let him speed up the attack. I think he played well within our ability. We found him more in the second half, but the first half was almost impossible under the pressure of Paris Saint-Germain. "Mascherano gave a positive comment on Messi's performance.

Positive gains: Teamwork victory

Although the game result was disappointing, Mascherano is still proud of the team. "I am proud of my players because they try to play football, for everything they do throughout the game. We always try to show what we can do. "

This positive attitude reflects the qualities of a good coach. In the face of strength gap, maintaining dignity and fighting spirit is more important than the result. Miami International players did fight to the last minute, and this spirit deserves respect.

"The message we convey is that if we unite and work together, we can compete. Football gives you this possibility, although the gap is huge today. We are facing the best team in the world with excellent coaches. We work hard to persevere until the last minute, which is why I am proud of the players. "

Realistic perception: The gap exists objectively

Before the game, Mascherano had already had a clear understanding of the team's strength. "We are very clear about how far we can compete, and today's reality proves this. Paris Saint-Germain has no opponent in the Champions League final... " This kind of realistic attitude is neither self-deprecating nor blindly optimistic.

The significance of this game may not lie in the result itself, but in making Miami International clearly recognize the gap between itself and the world's top teams. This kind of understanding is beneficial to the long-term development of the team.

Return to reality: The major leagues are the main battlefield

The journey of the Club World Cup is over, but the Miami International season continues. For this team with Messi at its core, the Major League is the stage they really need to conquer. There, they have more realistic hopes for winning the championship.

Mascherano mentioned in the summary: "The team has achieved its established goal. " This goal is obviously not how far it goes in the Club World Cup, but rather that the team can be trained and grown by participating in such high-level events.

From this perspective, this 0-4 loss is not worthless. It allows every player at Miami International to experience the feeling of playing against the world’s top teams, an experience that will become a valuable asset in their careers.

The charm of football: the spirit that surpasses victory and loss

The charm of football lies in this. Even if facing opponents with huge strength and even if the result is already destined, the game itself is still full of meaning. Miami International demonstrated its fighting spirit in this game, Messi's competitive state at the age of 38, and Mascherano's calm attitude when facing failure are the most precious qualities of football.

As Mascherano said, football gives every team the possibility of competing, although sometimes the gap is large. This possibility, this spirit of never giving up, is the reason why football can move the whole world.

When Miami International players left Atlanta and returned to the major leagues, they took away not only the memory of a loss, but also the valuable experience of fighting against the world's strongest team. For fans, being able to witness Messi's style on the spot and witness such a high-level showdown is precious enough.

After all, not everyone has the chance to see the legend's final dance on the field, even if the background of this dance is a defeat.