Argentina superfan bikes 11,000 miles to follow Messi at World Cup
Three Argentinian superfans spent nine months cycling across the Americas before a surprise gift allowed them to attend their team’s World Cup opening game.
Lionel Messi, well done. 16 goals in a World Cup is an incredible feat.
However, contrary to what Fox officials would have you believe, Messi does not have a total record. Not yet, anyway.
There is a woman named Marta from Brazil. You may have heard of her. female pele. The best female player of all time and one of the greatest players in the game. She scored 17 goals in the World Cup.
that is an all-time record. Messi equaled Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s men’s record on Tuesday 16 June, but Malta holds the all-time record.
Seven years ago, when he overtook Klose during the World Cup in France, Marta said: “I’m very honored and happy to be able to make history in a sport that is still considered by some to be a man’s sport.”
“We are breaking records and showing how far women’s football has come. This is a story not only for Malta but for all women around the world.”
And while doing so, Christine Sinclair, not Cristiano Ronaldo, holds the international goals record.
Misogyny starts with FIFA
Sadly, Marta is not wrong about the misogyny that persists in football. The responsibility lies with many people, including broadcasters, specific federations and fans, but the problem starts with FIFA.
This tournament we’re all wondering about right now? It’s the World Cup. What competitions will be held in Malta’s home country next year? It’s the Women’s World Cup.
This amendment may not seem like a big deal, but it shows the world that FIFA does not consider the women’s tournament to be real. It’s definitely the World Cup. However, there are some that are less impressive. low value. Equality is low.
Not worthy of respect.
That’s nonsense. That’s sexist nonsense.
Women’s game starts from reverse
It is true that there was a time when women’s competition lagged behind that of men. We are under-invested and we should be thankful for this too, thanks to misogyny. When the U.S. women’s team first appeared in the World Cup, they wore recycled uniforms from the men’s team. U.S. Soccer is one of the few federations that pays its men’s and women’s national teams equally, and has only done so since 2022.
In England and Brazil, women were even banned from playing soccer for much of the 20th century.
Yes, that’s right. Forbidden. Playing the game is legally prohibited.
But as countries invested and women demanded better, the level of women’s competition rose. Suffice it to say, don’t look at Marta or Trinity Rodman and think she’s as noble or worthy of the same respect as Messi or Kylian Mbappe.
Let’s honor the name of Malta
Indeed, their game is different, just as Messi’s game is different from Klose’s or Brazil’s Ronaldo. But it doesn’t get any less than that. And it certainly does not mean that Marta’s achievements should be swept under the rug as if they never happened. On Tuesday night, that’s exactly what happened.
And before anyone starts screaming that the boys team can beat the girls team, just stop. That’s a Neanderthal way of thinking, and that’s not how we think. A goal is a goal, and if you score 17 of those goals, you’ll be declared queen.
Again, this doesn’t take anything away from Messi. This is about giving women the respect they deserve. Recognize their accomplishments and not diminish or, in this case, erase them outright. Because men are still the default in our society.
It is almost certain that Messi will win the World Cup overall scoring record at some point next month. But for now, Malta remains the record holder. Please give her the respect she deserves.
The respect she got.
Follow USA TODAY sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
