Lionel Messi is so good he doesn’t even have to score to inspire teams to outlandish impressive victories.
His full array of talents were very much on display as he guided Argentina to a 6-1 demolition of Paraguay on Tuesday to book his country’s place in the Copa America final.
It might not be quite the 99 years Chile have waited for an international title, but Argentina’s 23-year drought is still quite the anomaly, especially considering the riches of talent at their disposal over the last two decades.
It was eight years ago when Argentina last reached a Copa America final when they lost 3-0 to a Robinho-inspired Brazil and they haven’t won since beating Ecuador 2-1 in 1993.
One true moment of Messi’s genius in the build up to Argentina’s fourth goal encapsulated his mesmerizing performance as he left two Paraguay players in a mess of tangled limbs behind him on the floor.
“He [Messi] doesn’t need to be the team’s goalscorer to be happy,” Argentina coach Gerardo Martino said after the match.
“If Messi gives passes that end up in goals then there is no problem. What is more important is that he responds to what the game demands.
“He doesn’t look worried to me. He is happy and he has no problems.
“We are very happy because these guys are in another final of an important tournament in the space of less than a year. It’s not the World Cup, but it’s very important.
“We will have to work hard to win the game against Chile in the final, but today we played a good game and it’s clear we were very decisive.”
Barcelona’s star forward was involved in setting up five of his team’s goals, though given his prodigious talent it remains something of a mystery how Messi’s only goal at this Copa America came from the penalty spot in the same fixture during the group stages when the game finished in a 2-2 draw.
However, his semifinal performance should put to rest some of the harsh criticism he was receiving from his homeland, with some claiming he was more Catalan than Argentine.
It was Messi’s delivery from a free-kick that set up Argentina’s opening goal, his whipped cross causing havoc in Paraguay’s penalty area allowing Marcos Rojo to prod home.
Javier Pastore doubled Argentina’s lead, elegantly receiving a pass from Messi in his stride and arrowing a shot into the bottom corner with his second touch.
Paraguay’s Argentine-born striker Lucas Barrios reduced the deficit as he capitalized on some sloppy defending to halve the deficit with his third goal of the tournament.
However, Argentina restored their two-goal advantage two minutes after the restart when Angel Di Maria finish off a slick passing move.
Soon after Messi left a trail of Paraguayans in his wake, before playing in Pastore whose chipped effort was saved by Justo Villar, only for Di Maria to pounce on the rebound.
Ten minutes from the end Di Maria turned provider, setting up Sergio Aguero who headed home.
Substitute Gonzalo Higuain completed the rout hammering home after Messi had found him in the box, despite being on his backside and surrounded by five Paraguayans.
Argentina will now meet Chile in the final on Saturday – the favorites against the hosts – and will be looking to draw level with Uruguay as the most successful team in Copa America history.