Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend

➤Rated TV-MA
➤Apple TV+

Sports documentaries run the risk of becoming PR puff pieces, but Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend avoids common pitfalls, depicting a regular guy who happens to be one of the most skilled soccer players ever. This four-part series follows Argentina’s soccer team as it attempts to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a feat it hadn’t achieved since 1986. The stakes are high because this will probably be the last World Cup tournament for the team’s captain, the legendary Lionel Messi.

Leading up to the showdown between Argentina and France, the documentary flashes back to earlier moments in Messi’s life. Ever since he was a young player, fans compared Messi to Diego Maradona, another of Argentina’s best. Maradona led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986, but up to this point Messi hadn’t delivered. Clips of Messi’s previous FIFA blunders pepper the series, making his triumphant moments more exciting.

Most of the series is in Spanish with English subtitles. (One interviewee uses some colorful language that contributes to the TV-MA rating.) One commentator quips that Argentina doesn’t have a lot going for it, economically speaking, and soccer is the country’s greatest strength. We see a soccer culture that veers into fanaticism and idolatry. Fans drain their life savings to attend the 2022 match. Some spectators want Argentina to win so badly that they resort to witchcraft. A pundit calls Messi “The Messiah” after a particularly good goal.

But Messi, despite his superstar status, seems more grounded than his fans. He stays humble, and he’s committed to setting a good example. “I believe God is the one in charge,” he said before the match. “And if something is meant to happen to you, it will happen.”