Argentina was off to a rocky start when they lost to Saudi Arabia in the Group Stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but they eventually bounced back and left Qatar with the trophy. While there were many doubters at the beginning of the tournament, there was one man who never doubted and made a confident prediction in favor of his team -- seven years ago.
On March 20, 2015, Twitter user José Miguel Polanco tweeted that Argentina was going to win the 2022 World Cup and that Messi would cement his status as the greatest player of all time.
December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years.
— José Miguel Polanco (@josepolanco10) March 20, 2015
While the "greatest of all time" title can be subjective, Messi has an impressive list of accomplishments that includes 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and seven Ballon d'Ors. He now has a World Cup title, too.
This year's event recorded an attendance of 3,404,252 fans through Nov. 20 till Dec. 18. One of those fans was Polanco himself.
"I was there in your first World Cup and now I was able to be in your last one when you touched the sky with your hands, Lio, just like Diego (Maradona) did," he tweeted in Spanish. "I will be happy for the rest of my life, thank you Argentina, we are WORLD CHAMPIONS."
Estuve ahí en tu primer mundial y ahora pude estar en tu último donde tocaste el cielo con las manos, Lio, así como lo hizo Diego. Seré feliz por el resto de mi vida, gracias @Argentina, somos CAMPEONES MUNDIALES pic.twitter.com/NOOMUqxdDd
— José Miguel Polanco (@josepolanco10) December 18, 2022
Polanco is a fan of the veteran, but he has been following Argentina since before Messi made his debut. Polanco wrote on social media that he has gone to six world cups and that his first one was in 2002, when it took place in Kora and Japan. He was just 8 years old at the time.
Messi's first World Cup appearence came in 2006 in Germany. That year, he became the youngest Argentinian to play and score in a World Cup.
Ahead of Argentina's game against France on Sunday, Polanco wrote that his hope was "bigger than ever." It was an intense game that was stuck on a 3-3 draw and had to be decided through penalties. Argentina won 4-2 in the shootout -- earning it's first World Cup trophy since 1986, well before Polanco was born.
"It happened. I followed you to all parts of the world and at last we were able to taste eternal glory. You are not a love that hurts me, you are the love of my life," Polanco wrote of Argentina. "I am the happiest guy in the world, as well as the 45 million Argentinians who have dreamed of this since we have the use of reason."
