How Messi's decade of dominance almost never happened

On June 26, 2016, Lionel Messi retired from international football, ending his 10-year career as Argentina's leading scorer and most-capped player. This decision came after he had broken his nation's heart by missing a penalty in Argentina's Copa America final loss to Chile in a shootout just two days after his 29th birthday. Messi had been part of the team that had already suffered defeats in the 2014 World Cup final and Copa America finals in 2007, 2015, and 2016.

Despite his immense success with Barcelona, winning eight La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, and the Ballon d'Or five times, the 2016 retirement shook Argentina to its core. It was a time of immense criticism and pressure, as pundits and former legends like Diego Maradona questioned his leadership and questioned whether he was good enough to lead Argentina.

However, Messi's second thoughts proved to be the right decision, as he returned to international football just ten years later and continued to excel, scoring 70 more goals and lifting four major trophies. This decade of dominance nearly never happened, but Messi's return to Argentina's national team helped the nation reclaim its footballing glory.