Argentina beat Austria 2-0, and the postgame spotlight quickly shifted to Lionel Messi and the media swarm around him. The article says the excitement around Messi is not limited to football fans, because reporters covering the tournament were just as overwhelmed by meeting him. Israeli journalists Dor Hoffman and Maor Melikson were among those caught up in the moment after shaking Messi’s hand.
The biggest scene came after Messi’s second goal, when he celebrated, apparently by mistake, with TyC Sports Argentina reporter Joaquín Bruno. Bruno appeared to be celebrating with him in a moment that turned into one of the tournament’s memorable photos. Bruno later said it was “the moment of my life” professionally, adding that he told his wife to frame the picture because it should be seen every day. He also said he was still shaking, that Messi approached him because he was shouting with joy, and that he could not believe he had touched Messi’s hands.
The image spread widely on Argentine social media, and Bruno confirmed he wanted a photo from the celebration. The article notes that it was indeed captured and circulated broadly online. Messi then faced hundreds of reporters and photographers in the mixed zone, where he answered questions politely at first but grew visibly tired.
When asked which of his 18 World Cup goals was the best, Messi replied, “I don’t remember, I’m tired.” He also complained about the number of journalists waiting for him, saying, “Ohhh, it never ends. Everyone stands alone, you have to stop 500 times.”
