Argentina Ready To Crown Lionel Messi’s Career With A World Cup

It was in June 2016 that Lionel Messi first announced his international retirement at the age of 29 following Argentina’s defeat on penalties to Chile in the Copa America final.

The Argentina captain missed his penalty in the shoot-out at the MetLife stadium in New Jersey and was so distraught he decided to walk away from the national team.

“I thought that this is the end for me with the national team, it’s not for me,” he said after the game. “It’s a huge sadness once again…I tried so hard to be [a] champion with Argentina. I couldn’t do it. I think it’s best for everyone, for me and for many people who want it…I tried many times [to be a champion] but did not.”

But only two months later Messi reversed his decision and decided to come back to play for Argentina again, stressing his love for the national shirt was too great.

Since then he has played 53 more games and scored 36 more goals, and most importantly finally won a major international tournament when Argentina claimed the Copa America with a win in the final over Brazil in Rio de Janeiro last year.

Now 35 Messi is set to compete in his fifth World Cup and the talk about him retiring from international football is back on the agenda.

It is expected after the tournament in Qatar Messi will walk away from international football and this time there will be no comeback. Earlier this year he said, “If this is my last World Cup? Yes, surely yes, surely yes.”

This means the next four weeks represents Messi’s final chance to win the World Cup. He has so far won 36 major trophies in his career, but the World Cup remains the one that has eluded him, and the one he wants the most.

Some have suggested if Messi wins the World Cup it would end the debate about who is the greatest player of all time. Of course, it won’t, but it would provide those who argue for him with the one thing they don’t currently have.

This tournament might have been dogged by controversy and failed to provoke the same excitement as previous editions, but the sight of Messi crowning his incredible career with a World Cup would offer some consolation.

There is a cautious optimism Argentina might finally have the team to help Messi win the World Cup.

After all this Argentina squad have arrived at the World Cup unbeaten in their last 35 games, which is just two games short of the international record Italy set between 2018 and 2021, which included their Euro 2020 triumph.

Of course Argentina’s own run included winning the Copa America in Brazil last year, when they beat the hosts in the final. It was the country’s first major tournament win for 28 years, and the first ever of Messi’s career, helping banish the misery of 2016, and the four finals he has lost with Argentina in his career.

Argentina’s 3-0 win over Italy in the “Finalissima”, the meeting between the champions of South America and Europe, at Wembley this year offered further proof this squad can win their first World Cup since 1986.

Since 2018, under the stewardship of their manager Lionel Scaloni, Argentina have become a more resilient team, full of quality, experience and increasing belief.

This team can’t boast a peak Messi; he no longer makes the same surging runs, but this is still Messi, who along with Angel Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez provides Argentina with a constant threat.

At the heart of defence the Tottenham man Cristian Romero has emerged as a real leader, while in midfield Atletco Madrid’s Rodrigo De Paul, Juventus’ Leandro Paredes and Sevilla’s Papu Gomez offer tenacity and defensive security.

These players want to win the World Cup for themselves, for their country, but most of all for Messi. Qatar represents both their best and their last chance to make it happen.