This Photo Says Everything About Messi

Five Bosnia and Herzegovina defenders (two on the ground after having collided with one another in pursuit) and a keeper, all helpless, and not another Argentina shirt in sight. Put this photo in a museum:

One goal against a feisty-yet-overmatched side won't and shouldn't sway the legacy talk about Lionel Messi's (or more accurately Argentina's) World Cup struggles. But his 65th-minute score was Platonic Messi—sprinting through the area, dribbling two or three beats beyond when most players would let fly, waiting until the optimal angle presents itself and not squandering the look. It's the perfect example of why you can't disparage Messi's numbers at Barcelona because of who he plays with; here, Higuain technically assists, but it's a lot more realistic to say Messi uses him mid-run.

Photo by Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters