As Lionel Messi rose up the ranks of the storied Barça football club in Spain, he dreamed of winning a World Cup for his home country. But up until recently, playing with Argentina's national team has proven to be this soccer superman's kryptonite. For most of his career, Messi has wrestled with the disappointment of the home crowd after each devastating World Cup loss. Over time, his connection to his own country has been questioned after spending time abroad. What can Messi's story tell us about the cost of leaving home, and the struggle to return? Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

As Lionel Messi rose up the ranks of the storied Barça football club in Spain, he dreamed of winning a World Cup for his home country. But up until recently, playing with Argentina's national team has proven to be this soccer superman's kryptonite. For most of his career, Messi has wrestled with the disappointment of the home crowd after each devastating World Cup loss. Over time, his connection to his own country has been questioned after spending time abroad. What can Messi's story tell us about the cost of leaving home, and the struggle to return? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

As Lionel Messi rose up the ranks of the storied Barça football club in Spain, he dreamed of winning a World Cup for his home country. But up until recently, playing with Argentina's national team has proven to be this soccer superman's kryptonite. For most of his career, Messi has wrestled with the disappointment of the home crowd after each devastating World Cup loss. Over time, his connection to his own country has been questioned after spending time abroad. What can Messi's story tell us about the cost of leaving home, and the struggle to return? Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy" rel="noopener noreferrer">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

1. The Goal

Lionel Messi es uno de los futbolistas más talentosos de la historia, pero tiene una deuda pendiente con su país. ¿Podrá ganar la Copa Mundial y regresar victorioso a Argentina, el lugar que dejó a sus trece años? En cinco episodios, la periodista Jasmine Garsd presenta un relato que trasciende lo deportivo. La Última Copa es tanto una biografía sonora de Messi como de millones de personas en Latinoamérica, quienes dejaron su país de origen con el sueño de volver. What's it like to be one of the world's biggest soccer stars and doubted by many in your home country? That's the question Lionel Messi faces in The Last Cup. Not only is this year's World Cup his last chance to bring home the coveted trophy – it's his last chance for vindication. Hosted by Argentine journalist Jasmine Garsd, The Last Cup is much more than a sports story. It's a tale of immigration and race, of capitalism and class, of belonging and identity. A story for anyone who's ever felt like an outsider in their own home.

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Sports

Lionel Messi es uno de los futbolistas más talentosos de la historia, pero tiene una deuda pendiente con su país. ¿Podrá ganar la Copa Mundial y regresar victorioso a Argentina, el lugar que dejó a sus trece años? En cinco episodios, la periodista Jasmine Garsd presenta un relato que trasciende lo deportivo. La Última Copa es tanto una biografía sonora de Messi como de millones de personas en Latinoamérica, quienes dejaron su país de origen con el sueño de volver. What's it like to be one of the world's biggest soccer stars and doubted by many in your home country? That's the question Lionel Messi faces in The Last Cup. Not only is this year's World Cup his last chance to bring home the coveted trophy – it's his last chance for vindication. Hosted by Argentine journalist Jasmine Garsd, The Last Cup is much more than a sports story. It's a tale of immigration and race, of capitalism and class, of belonging and identity. A story for anyone who's ever felt like an outsider in their own home.

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1. The Goal

1. The Goal

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