BY ED SIKORA
FOR THE OBSERVER
OPINION —
Jordan-Hare Stadium was alive with anticipation on a sweltering June night as Argentina faced Iceland in its Road to ’26 exhibition match. More than 88,000 people packed the stadium, creating the largest soccer crowd ever to attend a match in Alabama.
As a photographer for the Observer, I was among the privileged few to witness this spectacle from the field, armed with multiple cameras to capture the magic of the evening. I believe most spectators were there to experience Lionel Messi of Argentina, one of the most decorated players in the history of professional football.
The atmosphere was electric, with thousands of fans wearing his jersey and chanting his name: “Messi, Messi, Messi.” As the teams warmed up, Messi emerged from the locker room to a roar from the crowd that rivaled the excitement of an Auburn touchdown against the Crimson Tide. All eyes were on Messi, one of the most celebrated players in World Cup history, and I was no exception.
Earlier in the week, there was concern that Messi might not play because of a lingering hamstring injury. His absence from the starting lineup turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me. Just prior to kickoff, photographers were ushered onto the field and positioned in front of the Argentine bench to photograph the starting players. Most of us dutifully took pictures of the players on the field but quickly pivoted to focus on Messi as he sat on the bench with teammates and later stood to sing the Argentine national anthem. This allowed us to furiously click away, taking pictures of Messi from only a few feet away. I felt a mix of excitement and guilt while capturing those moments, wondering what it must be like to be “The Great Messi.”
In one of my shots, I imagined he looked directly at me, acknowledging my presence. A photographer can dream, right?
Once the match began, photographers positioned themselves around the field. The first half and part of the second half passed without Messi entering the game, but the anticipation continued to build. Around the 66th minute, the stadium erupted as Messi prepared to make his entrance. Our cameras were ready, capturing every move as he joined his teammates on the pitch. One eye was on the ball and the other on Messi as he strategically positioned himself around the field.
The moment we had all been waiting for came in the 69th minute when Argentina was awarded a penalty kick. Messi stepped up with confidence, considered the angles, then stutter-stepped before sending the ball over the head of the hapless Icelandic goalkeeper and into the back of the net. The crowd went wild, and the players celebrated in a blur of excitement as they surrounded Messi once more. The match continued, with Messi’s brilliance leaving an indelible mark on the game and helping secure Argentina’s 3-0 victory.
As the players headed to their locker rooms, Messi exchanged jerseys with an Icelandic player on the far side of the field. I couldn’t help but hope he’d swap his jersey for my sweat-soaked photographer’s shirt, but alas, it was not to be. Perhaps next time.
Though there was no smile directed my way and no jersey exchange, the night at Jordan-Hare was unforgettable. It offered a glimpse into the world of Messi just weeks before what could be his final World Cup appearance, a night set aside for Messi and me.
