REVIEW: ‘Messi’s World Cup: Rise of a Legend’ Is Not Groundbreaking

Messi’s World Cup: Rise of a Legend is a sports documentary exclusively on Apple TV. Directed by Juan Baldana and Daniel Rosenfeld, the miniseries sees footballing icon Lionel Messi enter his final World Cup with more pressure to win than ever. Lionel Messi is considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, certainly of this generation. But the World Cup is the pinnacle of achievement in the sport, and the Argentine has been unable to lay his hands on the trophy so far.

The balance between telling two stories at the same time is done perfectly. There is the story of Argentina and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It is a team sport, but the whole Argentinian squad is pushing for their leader to make it over the line. But there is also the story of Messi growing up in Rosario and becoming the unbelievable triumph he is today. The four-episode miniseries has a great structure. The first episode unveils the premise while introducing the audience to the opening match against Saudi Arabia. From there, the separate stages of the tournament become the pillars of the following episodes.

A World Cup is a cauldron of emotions and energy and an excellent basis to attach a story. Inadvertently, Argentina’s journey in Qatar had all of the elements of a fairytale. It makes the filmmakers’ jobs easier, as unexpected results can derail the whole project.

The miniseries is jeopardized by the existence of a similar documentary, Captains of the World. While that series had to be more impartial and cover all nations within the World Cup, it uses the same source material as this one. The last two episodes of both shows are eerily similar, but Captains of the World provided more context to one of the most pivotal moments of Messi’s World Cup that this documentary managed to miss.

What is exciting about Messi’s World Cup: Rise of a Legend is the access given to one of the most secretive and elusive footballers on the planet, despite his dazzling brilliance and decades in the spotlight. Messi is a shy man, and that comes across in the clips with him. Messi is soft-spoken, delicate, and restrained during the interviews that appear sporadically across all four episodes.

His humble attitude is remarkable, never once presenting himself as arrogant or a legend within his mind. The man has been private his whole life, and the curtain is only partially lifted for these interviews. There are conversations about his children, possibly as open as it gets towards his personal life. His quiet nature is a beautiful contrast to his wizardry on display on the pitch.

Messi is not going to celebrate his accomplishments with much aplomb. Therefore, it falls on the other subjects interviewed to lionise the man on his behalf. A wide variety of figures are included in the documentary. Teammates from many generations offer insights into what it’s like to have grown up watching him play and play alongside him. There are also journalists, broadcasters, and other experts in the field to provide the context of the World Cup. They are more than willing to give Messi the praise and gratitude he deserves. The interviews are a mixture of English and Spanish. Allowing the subjects to talk in their native tongue is vital for documentaries, as it keeps them comfortable and prevents translation issues.

The love the Argentinian players have for Messi is mighty and thrilling to watch. When Emiliano Martinez, Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernandez, and others describe their feelings for Messi, it showcases the connection the man has built with his national team. They are willing to do anything and everything to support him, even at the expense of their own game. This is a series about Argentina, not just Messi. Through him is a journey into the nation’s passion for football.

And yet, the filmmakers do not erase history. Specific attention has been given to the toxicity directed towards Messi from his fans for several years. Failures in previous tournaments led to a fundamental divide between the legend and the national team’s supporters. The intensity and severity of that are terrifically encapsulated. The ferocity of the relationship could be considered frightening. Messi is seen as a god, a messianic figure who has shouldered the burden. The book highlights the journey that the man has been through on the international stage.

Messi’s World Cup: Rise of a Legend isn’t quite a crowning glory. The danger with the documentary is that it’s treading on well-trodden ground. As breathtaking as the 2022 World Cup was, the final and all major talking points were all captured in other series. The interviews with Messi himself were not groundbreaking, but the package is excellent. His humble demeanor is combined with the hero worship from everyone else and his majesty on the football pitch. This generates a rounded presentation of Lionel Messi, with angles that are very rarely on display. The documentary works wonders on its own, and non-football fans may enjoy it even more than those who are diehard followers.

Messi’s World Cup: Rise of a Legend is streaming now on Apple TV+.