Messi's harshest story
How did Leo defeat Argentina's nightmare?
Lionel Messi's journey with Argentina was no path paved with gold. It was a long epic of tears, heartbreaks and lost finals, before transforming in its final years into an unforgettable story of glory. Messi is Argentina, and Argentina is Messi, but the road to that truth was harsh and long. It began with a red card and ended with achievements that made his name immortal in the history of his country.
Messi's international debut in 2005 was something of a nightmare. He was sent off minutes into his first appearance against Hungary following an altercation with Vilmos Vanczak, and left the pitch in tears, according to the Spanish newspaper "AS".
His name shone at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where he took part in the crushing 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro. But the dream ended against Germany in the quarter-final on penalties, with Messi stuck on the bench throughout extra time.
Then came 2007 and his first disappointment in finals. Argentina lost 3-0 to Brazil in the Copa America final, even as Messi began to establish himself among the squad's biggest stars.
Diego Maradona took charge of the team in 2010, but the World Cup ended in disaster against Germany, a clean 4-0 in the quarter-final. The criticism of Messi was harsh. He couldn't score and found himself once again crushed by the comparison with Maradona.
The year 2011 brought no relief. Argentina bowed out of the Copa America on home soil against Uruguay on penalties, intensifying the criticism aimed at Messi and dragging his relationship with the fans to one of its most tense phases.
By 2014, Messi came closer to the dream than ever. He led Argentina to the World Cup final, only to lose to Germany in extra time. Another painful moment, after he failed to replicate Maradona's achievement and lead his country to the title.
Then came 2015 and defeat in the Copa America final to Chile on penalties, renewing the calls for him to walk away from the national team.
But 2016 was the straw that broke the camel's back. Argentina lost the Copa America Centenario final to Chile on penalties, and Messi missed his kick. Then he announced his retirement from international football, saying: "It's over."
He returned in 2018, but the dream was postponed again. Argentina went out against France in the round of 16, a match in which Mbappe shone, and the title remained out of Messi's reach.
Another disappointment arrived in 2019 as Argentina crashed out against Brazil in the Copa America semi-final, despite Messi contributing a goal and an assist across the tournament.
Then came 2021, the year of real transformation. Scaloni gave Messi a group of players capable of making the difference around him, and the explosion came at the Maracana. He led Argentina to victory over Brazil and the Copa America title, his first major trophy with the national team. Months later, he added another by beating Italy at Wembley.
The legend was complete in 2022. Messi led Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar, in one of the greatest finals the tournament has ever seen, chasing down the dream that had haunted him throughout his career and sealing his legendary status within his country.
Then came 2024 and another Copa America title, after Argentina overcame Colombia in the final, binding Scaloni's squad to the Argentine star more tightly than ever.
As for 2026, it was the final chapter. At the age of thirty-nine, Messi played a legendary final against Spain and dragged Argentina into extra time in his last journey with the national team, before ending his international career and leaving behind an indelible legacy.
From the tears of the first red card to the tears of glory, from a player whose exit from the national team was demanded to a captain who carried Argentina on his shoulders, Messi wrote one of the harshest and most inspiring stories in the history of football.
