I was rewatching the 2022 World Cup and randomly started thinking about how insane the butterfly effect from messi's goal against mexico might have been.
If Ochoa saves that shot or it goes slightly wider and the game finishes 0-0, then assuming the final group games still play out the same way, Argentina finish second in the group instead of first, and don't gain that insane momentum shift after losing against Saudi Arabia in the first game.
That also means they play France in the R16 rather than Australia. If they beat france, then they play england in the quarters, so their entire route becomes dramatically harder from the start.
And if Argentina lose to France or England, Messi never wins the World Cup. At that point, the whole final chapter of his career probably looks very different. Does he still feel the same way about international football? Does he still move to Miami as early as he did? Does he even keep going long enough to play in 2026?
Obviously, the further you go down that chain, the more speculative it becomes. But it's crazy to think that Ochoa getting a hand to one shot could've dramatically changed Messi's legacy, Argentina's history and the way his career played out.
That goal genuinely feels like the moment where everything just branched off in a completely different direction. Idk, I just found thinking about this cool as fuck and had to share it😭😭
submitted by /u/Technical-Bee-5976[link] [comments]