‘A remarkable story of resilience’ – How Lionel Messi turned his Argentina career around to bid farewell as arguably his country’s greatest ever
Lionel Messi has said goodbye to international football as an Argentina legend, but it did not always look like that would be the case.For a player who had won almost everything at club level, the abs...
In a remarkable tale of resilience, Lionel Messi has bid farewell to international football as a revered figure of Argentina. Formerly plagued by a lack of senior international triumphs, Messi's career took a turning point after a stint of three consecutive losses in the 2014 World Cup, 2015 Copa America, and 2016 World Cup. In 2016, he briefly retired from international football but later returned to the Argentina team, sparking questions about whether he could replicate the success he had achieved with Barcelona.
Seb White of FC Camisa says that Messi's comparison to Maradona loomed large during this period, but despite the pressure, Messi persevered. It wasn't until 2021 that Messi finally clinched his first major senior trophy for Argentina, defeating Brazil in the Copa America final. Two years later, he clinched the World Cup trophy in a thrilling final against France, followed by another Copa America victory in 2024.
Although Argentina fell short in the 2026 World Cup final, Messi's international legacy remains unparalleled, having scored eight goals and set up four others in the tournament at the age of 39. His debut international game after his brief retirement was a 3-0 victory over Benin, where he scored a penalty, underscoring the emotional closure to his international career.
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Also reported by 2 other outlets
- From Rosario To World Cup Glory: Lionel Messi Bids An Emotional Farewell To Argentina freepressjournal.in
- ‘Not coming here anymore’, Messi’s farewell speech dailytrust.com
