Not for the first time, Lionel Messi is returning to the Argentina national team. This occasion, however, will be accompanied by a sense of completion and celebration rather than obligation, as the country bids farewell to probably the greatest footballer ever. Messi will wear the Argentina shirt one last time this week for a friendly in Buenos Aires against Benin (who else?!) after he was invited back for a celebratory runout following his decision to retire from international football after the World Cup final.
In 2016, having suffered heartbreak in a major international final for the third year in a row, Messi was seemingly done. It has been four finals – it just wasn’t for me unfortunately. I looked for it and wanted it so badly, but it didn’t happen.
This is best for everyone – for me and for a lot of people that wish this. The team has ended for me, a decision made. I tried many times and I leave without being able to obtain it.” Fortunately, about six weeks later after a national campaign urging him to change his mind, Messi confirmed he wasn’t quitting.
Another 10 years with the national team would follow, and what a time it proved to be. Having finally won the World Cup – as well as earning more caps (208 after Tuesday’s game) and scoring more goals (125) for Argentina than anyone – Messi no longer has anything to prove to anyone. Given what Argentina have achieved in the last five years, the 16 barren years of Messi’s international career feel like something from an alternate reality.
They lost Copa América finals in 2007, 2015 and 2016, as well as the World Cup final to Germany in 2014. And it wasn’t as if there was a huge amount of promise for Argentina immediately following Messi’s 2016 U-turn. Argentina’s participation at the 2018 World Cup was a debacle.
They were poor in qualifying – reports of a player mutiny stirred after a 3-0 defeat to Croatia in the group stage – and then they were dumped out by France in the last 16 (admittedly, they did run the eventual champions close in an instant classic in Kazan). Messi took time away once again after Russia 2018. It was a difficult period for Argentina, who parted ways with Jorge Sampaoli as coach and appointed his assistant in his place.
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