Lionel Messi’s Argentina career in six acts, from bitter defeats to unforgettable World Cup triumph

Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on Monday, marking the end of a career spanning over 200 appearances for Argentina over more than two decades. His international journey began in 2005, beginning with a controversial debut in a friendly match for Hungary, where he received a red card within ninety seconds of coming on as a substitute.

The following June saw him make his World Cup debut, contributing the team's final goal in Argentina's 6-0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro. This partnership formed the foundation of a legendary relationship with the World Cup.

Messi's World Cup debut occurred at the age of 26 in Brazil 2014, where he was already a seasoned player with Barcelona. Despite numerous disappointments, including quarter-final exits against Germany in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, the 2014 final in Brazil proved to be a turning point. As captain, Messi scored in every group game, but Argentina fell short against Germany in the final, ending a drought of 28 years without a championship.

In 2016, Messi's hopes for a World Cup title were dashed once more when Argentina lost the Copa America final on penalties to Chile. Heartbroken, he declared the national team over, stating that he had done all he could and had been in four finals but never won.

However, a new era dawned when Lionel Scaloni took charge as Argentina's coach in 2018. This marked the start of a transformative period in Messi's international career. In 2021, Messi and Argentina secured their first major title in 28 years at the Copa America Centenario in the United States, defeating Chile in the final. This victory set the stage for one of Messi's greatest achievements: leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

At the age of 35, Messi scored a remarkable seven goals and provided three assists in seven matches, including a crucial penalty in the shootout that secured the trophy for the third time in Argentina's history. Messi expressed his satisfaction with this conclusion to his international career, stating, "Obviously, I wanted to finish my career with this. I can't ask for any more."

Despite his desire to continue as a world champion, Messi opted to resume his international duties and played a pivotal role in Argentina's victory at the 2024 Copa America before embarking on his sixth World Cup campaign in the USA. At 38, Messi continued to defy age stereotypes by scoring eight goals in the first five games of the tournament, ultimately helping his team reach another final.

Messi holds the record for the most World Cup appearances (34) and has scored 21 goals across all tournaments. However, his dream of securing a third World Cup title was shattered as Argentina lost in extra time to Spain in the 2022 final, an anticlimactic end to a remarkable international career spanning 207 matches and 125 goals.