Lionel Messi’s World Cup Triumph

Gr 3-7–In this graphic novel series opener, Barish celebrates Messi’s role in capturing the 2022 World Cup from France and superstar Kylian Mbappé in Qatar. Though he’d won more trophies than any other player, Messi had never played on a cup-winning team and lived forever in the shadow of his countryman, soccer giant Diego Maradona. An outline history of the Great Depression sets up FIFA president Jules Rimet’s establishment of the first World Cup in Montevideo in 1930. Eventually the narrative tightens to focus on Messi and the details of the thrilling final, Messi’s go-ahead goal in the second period of extra time, Mbappé’s equalizer penalty kick, and the thrilling PK shootout that tipped the scale for Argentina. Images and text are cleverly organized to pack information and perspective in a generous format. Recurring sidebar features highlight soccer trivia and complementary stories, such as Pelé’s 1969 exhibition match in the middle of the Nigeria-Biafra War.