The story of Lionel Andrés Messi with the Argentine national team is a story of sacrifice, suffering, perseverance, resilience and finally sporting success. The captain of the albiceleste spent moments of great sadness with his country, being criticized by the fans, but after a long time he was able to overcome it and was finally crowned champion in Brazil, no less than at the Maracaná, in the 2021 edition. Then would come the Finalissima and the Qatar World Cup 2022.
On the eve of his seventh America Cup, which will be played in the United States during 2024, we will go back to review each of the backgrounds of the best player on the planet in this competition. Come on.
Argentina had just competed in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, in which it was eliminated in the quarterfinals against Germany on penalties. The coach was José Pekerman, who conspicuously left Messi out in that match.
That decision was highly discussed by public opinion (it is worth remembering the image of Messi sitting with annoyance on the substitute bench) and after the game, Pekerman announced his resignation in the post-match conference. He was succeeded by Alfio Basile, who was appointed in August and took office in September.
Messi, 20 years old, was already breaking it in Barcelona. In that season, 2006/2007, he scored 17 goals and three assists in 36 games with the culés.
“Coco” traveled to Venezuela with a team full of figures such as Juan Román Riquelme, Hernán Crespo, Pablo Aimar and Carlos Tevez, among others, and with a Messi who was already shining: he played in all six games (five as a starter), including the final with a 0-3 defeat against Brazil. He scored two goals and provided one assist.
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Four years later came the 2010 World Cup, which was played
in South Africa. The coach of Argentina was Diego Armando Maradona, neither more nor less, who could do nothing against the German power in the quarterfinals. The 4-0 was one of the heaviest defeats in the World Cup for the Argentine team.
In South Africa, Leo was the captain against Greece, becoming the youngest Argentine to fulfill that role in a World Cup. After Maradona’s resignation, he took on “Checho” Batista for the 2011 Copa América, which was played in Argentina.
Messi’s 2010/2011 season at Barcelona had been brutal: 53 goals and 23 assists in 55 games! A real madness. He had already achieved the sextet and had already won the Ballon d’Or.
It was surely the most difficult tournament for Leo, because he was whistled by many Argentine fans in his own country. The national team was eliminated in the quarterfinals, on penalties, against Uruguay in Santa Fe, and the player from Rosario was present in all four games.
Despite not having scored goals, Messi had the highest number of assists (three) and was chosen as the best player of the match against Bolivia and Costa Rica.
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was another very hard blow for Messi’s enthusiasm for the Argentine team. Sabella’s team shone in that World Cup, with Leo as the ultimate symbol, but fell in the grand final against Germany.
41 goals and 14 assists in 46 games with “Culé” were the best of all in the 2014/15 season.
In the Copa América in Chile, Argentina, which was already led by “Tata” Martino, had Messi start in all six matches, losing in the final, on penalties, against the local team.
After a 0-0 draw in 120 minutes, Argentina lost 4-1 on penalties, where Messi was the only one who did not fail. Leo was chosen “Best Player of the Tournament,” but refused to receive the award.
41 goals and 23 assists in 49 games with FC Barcelona in the 2015/2016 season, always impressive numbers. On January 11 of that year, he won his fifth Ballon d’Or.
The Copa América took place the following year because it was the “Copa América Centenario”, so there was no World Cup in be
tween. It was in the United States, where the “Diez” was suffering from physical discomfort and that is why he played five of the team’s six matches (he missed the first) in that tournament in which he was again runner-up, losing the final against Chile.
On June 26, Argentina played the final against the defending champion at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. After a goalless draw in 120 minutes, the Chilean team won 4-2 on penalties.
Despite his very good performance throughout the competition, Messi, who kicked first, this time sent the ball over the crossbar.
Then announced his retirement from the Argentine national team, a decision that he had not even communicated to his teammates.
“It’s incredible, but it doesn’t happen. Today the penalties happened to us again and again. There are four finals that I have to lose, those that we have to lose, three in a row. The truth is that it is a shame, but it has to be that way. It doesn’t happen, we try, we look for it, but that’s it. The selection is over for me,” said.
Argentina failed in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, led by the controversial Jorge Sampaoli. They miraculously survived the first round and then lost in the round of 16 to France, the eventual champion, with a squad that was very divided internally.
In that season, 2018/2019, Messi arrived with an average of more than one goal per game! 51 goals and 19 assists in 50 games with the “Blaugrana”.
Leo played all six games in Brazil 2019, already coached by Lionel Scaloni.
With the third place duel against Chile, after losing to the local Brazil in the semi-finals, Messi reached 27 games played in the Copa América and became the Argentine player with the most appearances in this tournament, surpassing the 26 that Javier Mascherano had. .
It takes time to arrive, and in the end… there is a reward.
In 2020, Argentina, along with Colombia, were goin
g to host the CONMEBOL tournament but the pandemic prevented it and it ended up being postponed until the following year.
However, after a spike in infections in the Albiceleste country (after the announcement that the coffee growers did not want to host the tournament) it was determined that Brazil will be the organizer, for the second consecutive time.
That season, the last he would play with Barcelona, Messi arrived at the continental event with 38 goals and 12 assists, in 47 games played.
And finally the big moment arrived: Leo was able to lift the Copa América, thanks to Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Brazil at the Maracaná Stadium, with a great goal from Ángel Di María. The number 10 was key throughout that tournament, with four goals and five assists in 7 games, in the team led by Lionel Scaloni.
In his fifth international final, Messi won his first title, Argentina’s first since the 1993 Copa América and the fifteenth Copa América in the country’s history. He was named best player and top scorer of the tournament.
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