SUMMARY
- Messi's national team won the FIFA World Cup 2022.
- While Messi was an exceptional player for Barcelona he couldn't replicate the same for Argentna.
It is safe to say that Lionel Messi is the most popular figure in Argentina. Messi played a talismanic role during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, ending the nation’s 36-year-long wait for the trophy. He also won the Finalissima that year and became the Copa America champions in 2021. However, Messi hasn’t always been celebrated by his nation throughout his career.
From a very early age, Lionel Messi‘s performances led to him being compared to the Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona. Like Maradona almost single-handedly led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986, Messi was expected to do the same. However, while Messi shone at his club, FC Barcelona, he wasn’t able to replicate the success with the national team.
For a large part of his career, Lionel Messi struggled with the Argentina national team. The former FC Barcelona star had a spectacular start to his national team career, winning the U-20 World Cup in 2005. He was also a part of the Argentine team that won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. However, he lost the Copa America final thrice and the World Cup final in 2014.
Messi once said in a phone interview that Thiago would ask him “dad why do the kill you (slander) in Argentina? Why do you have to return to the national team if they don’t love you?”
— Alex (@AiColeman23) April 25, 2023
While Lionel Messi’s current status in Argentina is nothing less than God-like, it hasn’t always been the same. From being booed and whistled by the fans to his children begging their father not to go back to the national team, Messi has come a long way. Let’s take a look at some of the toughest periods in Messi’s national team career.
Lionel Messi was hugely criticized for not singing Argentina’s national anthem
Lionel Messi’s struggles at the national team haven’t always been related to his performances. Messi was indeed able to perform better for his club, FC Barcelona. There was the argument that at FC Barcelona, Messi had the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, and so on. However, Messi has also been criticized for several off-the-pitch issues.
One of the foremost issues was his refusal to sing the national anthem before Argentina’s matches. While most of his teammates were spotted singing the anthem, Messi refused to do so. The issue was expertly highlighted in an anecdote mentioned in Messi’s biography written by the Spanish journalist Guillem Balague. Balague talked about an interview where Messi explained the reasons behind his refusal to sing the anthem.
The Argentine ace explained that his decision to not sing the anthem was his way of showing defiance against his critics. He said, “I was upset and I reacted that way (didn’t sing the anthem) after I heard all that.” Messi further stated that he is always the first person who wants the national team to do well. He also highlighted that the fans’ demand for him to win games single-handedly is unrealistic.
In addition to this, Messi also spoke about how he has been often treated as a foreigner in his country. Several Argentine fans have questioned Messi’s love for his country in the past. The fans believed that since Messi left Argentina for FC Barcelona at a young age, he doesn’t have the same emotions for his country. However, Messi took such criticisms with a pinch of salt and refuted such claims.
Diego Maradona’s brutal criticism of Lionel Messi’s leadership qualities
Since the very early stage of his national team career, Lionel Messi has been burdened with the expectation of replicating Diego Maradona’s success with Argentina. Owing to the huge legacy of Maradona in Argentine soccer history, Messi certainly didn’t have it easy. However, it became even more tough for the Inter Miami star when he was brutally called out by Maradona in 2018.
In an interview with Fox Sports, Maradona launched a scathing criticism about Messi’s leadership qualities. The late Argentine icon claimed that Messi becomes a different player when he takes off the FC Barcelona shirt and puts on the Argentina jersey. He said, “It’s useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game.”
“Messi is a great player, but not a leader. It’s difficult to say it but it’s useless to make a leader out of a man who goes to the bathroom 20 times before a game. Let’s stop making a God out of him. He’s just another Argentinian player.”
– 🗣 Maradona pic.twitter.com/tRgnCsySgw
— PurelyFootball ℗ (@PurelyFootball) October 15, 2018
While Maradona did insist that Messi was a great player, he did advise the latter to take some time off from the national team. Maradona, who passed away in 2020, briefly coached Messi during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It was, however, a disastrous campaign as Argentina was knocked out after being humiliated 4-0 by Germany in the quarterfinals.
Diego #Maradona tells Pele that #Messi𓃵 has no personality and lacks leadership 🤔🤔#WorldCupFinal #FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/oq3tNZyYPP
— AkhtarRana (@RanaAH22) December 18, 2022
Moreover, during an event in Paris back in 2016, Diego Maradona again criticized Messi while chatting with the late Brazilian soccer icon Pele. After Pele asked Maradona if he knew Messi personally, the 1986 World Cup-winning skipper said Messi was a good person but he didn’t have any personality.
Lionel Messi’s brief hiatus from the national team after Copa America final defeat
Undoubtedly, the bleakest moment of Lionel Messi’s national team career came in 2016. After defeats in the Copa America 2007 final, getting knocked out in the quarterfinal of the Copa America 2011, and consecutive final defeats in the World Cup 2014 against Germany and the Copa America 2015 against Chile, Messi’s Argentine once again reached the final of the Copa America 2016.
On this day in 2016, Leo Messi retired from international football after losing the Copa América final:
“For me, the national team is over. I’ve done all I can. It hurts not to be a champion.”
He came back 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/8rEP5e6DEL
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 27, 2023
In what was a replay of the 2015 final, Argentina again faced Chile in the Copa America 2016 final. However, La Albicelestes were defeated on penalty shootouts with Messi missing his shot. The Argentine skipper appeared visibly broken after the final and shockingly announced his retirement from the national team. He said, “The national team is over for me. I’ve tried a lot and we can’t win a title.”
Messi’s shocking decision led to millions of fans begging for him to return. Messi ultimately reversed his decision a few months later and returned to the national team. However, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scripted quite the comeback story! Despite the unfortunate 2018 World Cup campaign and a third-place finish in the Copa America 2019, Messi’s Argentina returned to winning ways.
Messi’s Argentina defeated Brazil in the final of the 2021 Copa America and Argentina’s trophy drought since 1993. Messi was the best player, top scorer, and the top assists provider in the tournament. A year later, Argentina defeated the European champions Italy in the Finalissima. And finally, in 2022, Messi put the cherry on the cake by winning the World Cup in Qatar, defeating the defending champions France in the final.