The Only Exception

Part Two - Chapter Twenty-Five: The First Match

Lucia chewed on her lip as she eyed the stadium before her, she sighed setting Maia on her hip before walking forward knowing that today was Argentina’s first match of the group stage.

The team were playing against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Lucia knew that Lionel was excited about the match, he was confident and knew that they could do this.

Lucia moved quickly not wanting to be recognised by any of the people around her, she was Lionel Messi’s wife and someone was going to spot her sooner or later and it made Lucia nervous.

The blonde had opted to wear a powder blue T-shirt with dome embellishment and white midi skirt in sheer burnout paired with nude cork wedge sandals for the match.

Lucia was wearing her husband’s colours even if she wasn’t wearing his jersey like Maia was, she grinned knowing that Lionel had no idea that she had gotten the baby kit for their daughter.

Lucia quickly entered the stadium and took a deep breath, she would be sitting with the other spouses of the Argentina team and their families.

Lucia was a little nervous about this since it was her first tournament as Lionel’s wife and she only really knew Fernanda Moreno who was the wife of Lionel’s Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano.

Maia babbled taking in the sights and sounds of the stadium, Lucia knew that this was her first real experience of something like this especially since nothing compared to the world cup.

Moving to her seat, Lucia sighed in relief as she finally found it and quickly sat down; Lucia settled Maia on her knee as she looked around nervously.

The stadium was warm and Lucia knew it would only get hotter, the match might have been at seven in the evening but it was still too warm and Lucia knew that she would have to deal with it.

***

“He looks happy,” Fernanda mused sitting beside Lucia and watched the team, she had her two daughter’s with her and she knew how the blonde felt about being at the match.

A lot of team’s didn’t want the wives and families of the players at the tournament and Argentina was one of the few that had allowed it; however Lionel had made it clear that his wife and daughter were going to be at the World Cup one way or another with him.

“He has a lot to be happy about,” Lucia said fussing over her three month old, Maia wouldn’t understand what was going but she seemed to be enjoying herself.

Fernanda nodded her head, she knew that Lucia was pregnant and the couple had celebrated it when they had the chance; however right now Lionel needed to concentrate.

The team were only in the lead via an own goal from Kolašinac and they were already in the second half of the match, they didn’t need to slip up and lose to the Bosnians and Lionel seemed to be determined.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like this… it’s almost like he’s playing to impress you,” Fernanda said smiling at Lucia, Lionel had a bad season and he seemed to want to make up for it now.

Lucia nodded her head as she pressed a kiss to Maia’s blonde curls, she could see how hard her husband was trying and she knew it would pay off sooner or later with a goal to secure Argentina’s win.

“I’m always proud of him and he knows that,” Lucia said watching the match, she knew that there was nothing that Lionel could ever do that wouldn’t make her proud of him.

The stadium were suddenly on their feet as Lionel scored Argentina’s second goal and the sound was nearly deafening as everyone celebrated his first goal of the tournament and hopefully not his last.

Lucia grinned as she clapped her hands, she cuddled Maia as she whispered softly to the little girl as Lionel celebrated with his team-mates; she knew that this meant a lot to her husband and he was going to make it count.

Lionel jogged down the pitch with a smile on his face as quickly sucked on his thumb, he couldn’t resist the idea of dedicating his first goal of the world cup to his daughter.

Lionel knew that it would send the press into a media frenzy, he had managed to keep Maia out of the lime-light and there had only been a couple of pictures of her since she had been born.

“He is certainly in a good mood,” Fernanda said with a smile as Maia clapped her hands and squealed as Lucia pointed out Lionel to her; she could see that the couple were very much in love and it was great to see after the first year of marriage that they’d had.

Lucia grinned looking at Fernanda and nodded her head, she couldn’t have been happier for her husband and she knew how much this meant to him.

***

Lionel grinned hurrying forward to collect Maia and pressed a kiss to Lucia’s lips, he knew that there was still a lot to do but Argentina had won their first group match of the tournament.

Lionel didn’t care that people were staring only that he got to kiss his wife after the match that they had just played; Lucia smiled softly as she pulled back from him knowing that the pictures would be everywhere.

“Hola,” Lucia said as she handed Maia over to her father, the little girl smiled in delight making Lionel grin as he cuddled his daughter for a moment and watched his wife.

Argentina had beaten Bosnia and Herzegovina two-one and everyone seemed to be in great spirits knowing that they had done well; their next match was in six days’ time and they would be facing Iran.

“Hola… what did you think?” Lionel asked eagerly smiling, he had played well and he hoped that Lucia had enjoyed the match.

Lucia smiled back at him as they moved out of the way, the tunnel was busy and everyone seemed to be in high spirits after the first group match.

“I think you played very well,” Lucia said kissing Lionel’s lips again, she stepped back from him as Maia choose that moment to spit up slightly on her father making Lionel roll his eyes, she loved to do that on him.

Lucia sniffled a laugh as she pulled some tissues from her brown faux leather slouch shoulder bag and wiped her husband’s shoulder off; people would wash the kits but that didn’t mean that they deserved to have to clean up Maia’s spit up from her father’s jersey.

“Was she okay?” Lionel asked shifting Maia carefully to the other side, he wrinkled his nose a little as Lucia wiped the spit up off; he hadn’t traded his jersey yet and he knew that there were a couple of people who wanted it.

Lucia nodded her head as she flashed a smile at her husband, Maia had coped perfectly with not only the heat but the noise that the crowds had made.

“Messi…” called one of the Bosnia players making the Argentinian look behind him, he swallowed the laugh as he handed Maia back to her mother knowing what the footballer wanted.

Pulling the jersey over his head, he slapped hands with the other player before warning him he might want to wash the jersey after Maia’s slight accident.

Lucia pursed her lips to stop herself from laughing, she had a feeling that the player had no idea what had just happened to his new Lionel Messi jersey before he had gotten it.