LIONEL MESSI’S STORY is a reminder that greatness comes at a cost.
The Rosario native is adored in Argentina, having guided the country to World Cup glory in 2022 – and it would be foolish to dismiss the team’s chances of securing back-to-back triumphs at this summer’s tournament.
It is easy to forget, though, that not so long ago Messi’s relationship with the country of his birth was more complicated.
At best, he was viewed with suspicion and scepticism. At worst, genuine ill-feeling existed.
Since Diego Maradona’s international career ended in disgrace with a drugs ban in the middle of the 1994 World Cup, Argentina have been searching for a successor to the player some consider to be the greatest of all time.
In the intervening years, talented footballers like Ariel Ortega, Juan Román Riquelme, Pablo Aimar and Javier Saviola were among the Argentine stars compared to Maradona.
But none possessed the same level of genius as the heir apparent, Lionel Messi.
Although he had already made seven La Liga appearances for Barcelona, it was the summer of 2005 at the Fifa World Youth Championship that Messi would have come on many fans’ radar.
A little over four years after his family relocated to Barcelona, Messi was the undisputed star of that tournament, as the 18-year-old finished top scorer with six goals and Argentina were crowned champions.
In what was to become a recurring theme, Messi had to prove his worth. One of the younger players in the squad, he started the opening match on the bench, as his side suffered a surprise 1-0 loss to the United States.
Remarkably, the following summer, he was representing the Argentine team at the 2006 World Cup. Six goals in 17 La Liga appearances during the 2005-06 season at Barcelona had added to the sense of excitement about this prodigious talent.
But for all the hype, Messi was still considered a squad player by his country.
He found the net once at the tournament, coming off the bench to score in the 6-0 group-stage win over Serbia and Montenegro.
Riquelme, a gifted playmaker lining out for Villarreal at the time, was first choice in the number 10 role.
In a decision that has grown in infamy with the benefit of hindsight, Messi was an unused sub as Argentina exited the competition after a penalty shootout defeat by Germany in the quarter-finals.
With the team 1-0 up, coach Jose Pekerman opted to replace Riquelme with the more defensive-minded Esteban Cambiasso, while target man Julio Cruz was also introduced off the bench.
“It’s one of the great ‘what ifs’ in Argentine football,” says Mark Orton, author of ‘From Moore to Messi: A History of the Argentine National Football Team. “What would happen if Messi did get the opportunity to come in and produce his magic?”
With an embarrassment of attacking riches, which also included Aimar, Saviola, Carlos Tevez and Hernán Crespo, combined with strong defensive players such as Roberto Ayala, Fabricio Coloccini, Gabriel Heinze, Javier Mascherano, and Gabriel Milito, the squad was arguably stronger man-for-man than the team that reached the final in 2014 and the one that triumphed in 2022.
Jose Pekerman famously left Lionel Messi on the bench for Argentina's World Cup quarter-final with Germany. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
And while the prevailing consensus was that Messi was underused at the tournament, Pekerman has remained unapologetic over the controversial call.
“He’s always said it was the right tactical decision at the time, based on what he thought the threat was from the Germans, and what threat bringing on Cruz would do for the Germans,” adds Orton.
Pekerman resigned in the immediate aftermath of that loss, and by the time of the 2010 World Cup, Diego Maradona was in charge of the national team.
Messi was still only 22 but firmly established as a world-class star, having won the first of his eight Ballon d’Ors the previous December.
Maradona had been a surprise choice as manager. The former Boca Juniors boss Carlos Bianchi had been the favourite for the role, but was overlooked in favour of a man whose only previous coaching experience had been brief stints at Argentine sides Deportivo Mandiyú and Racing Club. There had also been a 13-year gap between Maradona’s time with the latter and his appointment as Argentina’s coach.
The World Cup winner had previously been publicly critical of Messi, and while both tried to put those issues behind them, they never really gelled.
Maradona’s tactical naivety contributed to a disappointing 4-0 quarter-final defeat (once more) against Germany. It is also the only one of six World Cup finals appearances that Messi finished goalless.
Owing primarily to his Barcelona performances, Messi still managed to retain the Ballon D’Or the following January. However, around this time, certain Argentine fans were beginning to feel disillusioned.
“He’s nicknamed in certain magazines and papers, ‘El Catalan,’ the Catalan, so there’s a suspicion he tries harder for Barcelona, that he’s more interested in succeeding with Barcelona than he is with the national team,” says Orton.
“They called him ‘pecho frío,’ which means cold-hearted, and he was not [considered] a full-blooded Argentine, as Maradona would have been.
“He’s lambasted for not singing the national anthem. So there was that kind of backlash, and certainly within Argentina, he was nowhere near as revered as Maradona would have been in the past.”
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Four years after the 2010 debacle, a Messi-inspired Argentina made it to the World Cup final.
The Barcelona superstar scored four goals along the way and was officially named the tournament’s best player. However, he appeared exhausted by the time of the final, as his side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Germany (yet again) after extra time.
Still, not everyone was fully convinced. Back-to-back Copa América final penalty shootout defeats to Chile added to the sense that Messi would be remembered as a great club player who perpetually fell short on the international stage.
Argentina players react during the 2018 World Cup match with France. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
A poor 2018 World Cup continued this unfortunate trend as Argentina lost 4-3 to a Kylian Mbappé-inspired France in the round of 16.
The pressure was clearly getting to Messi. Twice, he retired from international football, in 2016 and 2018, in the wake of a barrage of criticism, before reversing the decision on both occasions.
But the player and country then benefited from a fortunate twist of fate. Manager Jorge Sampaoli’s contract was terminated after the disappointment of the 2018 World Cup.
The Argentine federation were cash-strapped after the heavy payout to Sampaoli. Ideally, they would have appointed another high-profile manager, such as Diego Simeone, Mauricio Pochettino or River Plate’s Marcelo Gallardo.
Instead, they had to settle for Sampaoli’s former assistant, Lionel Scaloni, who was initially in charge on an interim basis.
Expectations were low, and Maradona was among the pessimists.
“Scaloni is a great boy, but he can’t even manage traffic,” the former Barcelona and Napoli star told Clarin. “How can we give the national team to Scaloni?! With everyone who has passed through that team, who got their teeth and heads broken, you’re going to put Scaloni in?
“Now, Scaloni says, ‘I am prepared’. I’ve never even seen you score for Argentina.
“No offence. As a person, let’s go and share a barbecue. But as a coach and in the national team, no.”
In the end, though, Scaloni’s appointment paved the way for an unprecedented run of success for Argentina and Messi.
“There was just no ego whatsoever,” says Orton. “He comes to Messi and says: ‘What do you need to make this team work?’ And just really [it was about] planning the team around him, and it has worked perfectly ever since.
“In 2019, they came third in the Copa América after some very dubious refereeing decisions in the semi-final against Brazil, and so again, that’s a tournament they potentially could have won, but they beat Chile [in the third-place playoff], and they have just won every competition since.”
The Covid-impacted 2021 Copa América triumph, the first time Argentina had secured the trophy since 1993, feels especially significant, as it put paid to the belief that the Messi era was somehow cursed.
Argentina were among the favourites going into the 2022 World Cup, but their 36-game unbeaten run was ended amid a shock opening group-stage defeat to Saudi Arabia.
That moment was equally crucial on their journey, as it galvanised the Argentines rather than demoralising them. Messi, as well as Scaloni, was a pivotal voice in urging the team to retain their composure after this setback. Some astute tweaks in personnel and tactics also helped matters.
The eventual triumph was particularly impressive as Scaloni had effectively built a new team. Messi, Ángel Di María, and Nicolás Otamendi provided an experienced core, but it was largely a young squad with much to prove.
“There weren’t too many players tainted by previous failures,” says Orton. “They all idolise Messi and want to do the best for him, and it was just that perfect dynamic of young, hungry players who were prepared to sacrifice themselves. There weren’t any egos or big-time Charlies thinking they were better. And it’s interesting since the 2022 World Cup, Messi has become less of a go-to player, mainly because of injury. Even in big games and qualifiers, they have managed to really turn it on without him, so it does bode well for the future. There is a succession coming; it’s not going to all crash once he retires.”
Messi has appeared at six World Cups. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Messi himself has looked happier and more relaxed playing for Argentina in recent years, no longer so burdened by the weight of a nation’s expectations.
With increased experience and confidence, he has become more demonstrative, emotional and Maradona-esque in his behaviour. As a youngster in Barcelona’s academy, he was so quiet that teammates thought he was mute. Two decades on, he had developed into a vocal and assured leader of men.
At 39, he may not be the player he once was, but the last five years have easily been his best period at international level.
At the 2026 World Cup, despite some commentators’ pre-tournament reservations, Messi has proven he can still be effective, with five goals from his opening two games.
“I had no doubt he was still capable of that,” says Orton. “In terms of his influence on the pitch and dictating the game the way he did, I did anticipate that other players maybe would perform more in this tournament for Argentina, but it’s obviously great that they’ve still got that.
“And I think the team is better this time around than it was four years ago. There is certainly more experience, but you’ve got younger players like Nico Paz, who can do that play-making role as well, and fitter strikers than they had last time.”
And for many, including Orton, Messi has even eclipsed Maradona, who passed away two years before Argentina’s third World Cup triumph.
“I think, in some ways, [the longevity] sets him apart from Maradona,” he concludes.
“One thing that helped is he’s got the ghost of Maradona off his back. There isn’t always a direct comparison, and it just gave him room to be Messi rather than ‘the next Maradona’. Although it’s never been said, subconsciously, I think there was probably an element of that as well.”
‘From Moore to Messi: A History of the Argentine National Football Team, 1902-1926′ by Mark Orton is published by Pitch Publishing. More details here.
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The story of Argentina's love-hate relationship with Lionel Messi
LIONEL MESSI’S STORY is a reminder that greatness comes at a cost.
The Rosario native is adored in Argentina, having guided the country to World Cup glory in 2022 – and it would be foolish to dismiss the team’s chances of securing back-to-back triumphs at this summer’s tournament.
It is easy to forget, though, that not so long ago Messi’s relationship with the country of his birth was more complicated.
At best, he was viewed with suspicion and scepticism. At worst, genuine ill-feeling existed.
Since Diego Maradona’s international career ended in disgrace with a drugs ban in the middle of the 1994 World Cup, Argentina have been searching for a successor to the player some consider to be the greatest of all time.
In the intervening years, talented footballers like Ariel Ortega, Juan Román Riquelme, Pablo Aimar and Javier Saviola were among the Argentine stars compared to Maradona.
But none possessed the same level of genius as the heir apparent, Lionel Messi.
Although he had already made seven La Liga appearances for Barcelona, it was the summer of 2005 at the Fifa World Youth Championship that Messi would have come on many fans’ radar.
A little over four years after his family relocated to Barcelona, Messi was the undisputed star of that tournament, as the 18-year-old finished top scorer with six goals and Argentina were crowned champions.
In what was to become a recurring theme, Messi had to prove his worth. One of the younger players in the squad, he started the opening match on the bench, as his side suffered a surprise 1-0 loss to the United States.
Remarkably, the following summer, he was representing the Argentine team at the 2006 World Cup. Six goals in 17 La Liga appearances during the 2005-06 season at Barcelona had added to the sense of excitement about this prodigious talent.
But for all the hype, Messi was still considered a squad player by his country.
He found the net once at the tournament, coming off the bench to score in the 6-0 group-stage win over Serbia and Montenegro.
Riquelme, a gifted playmaker lining out for Villarreal at the time, was first choice in the number 10 role.
In a decision that has grown in infamy with the benefit of hindsight, Messi was an unused sub as Argentina exited the competition after a penalty shootout defeat by Germany in the quarter-finals.
With the team 1-0 up, coach Jose Pekerman opted to replace Riquelme with the more defensive-minded Esteban Cambiasso, while target man Julio Cruz was also introduced off the bench.
“It’s one of the great ‘what ifs’ in Argentine football,” says Mark Orton, author of ‘From Moore to Messi: A History of the Argentine National Football Team. “What would happen if Messi did get the opportunity to come in and produce his magic?”
With an embarrassment of attacking riches, which also included Aimar, Saviola, Carlos Tevez and Hernán Crespo, combined with strong defensive players such as Roberto Ayala, Fabricio Coloccini, Gabriel Heinze, Javier Mascherano, and Gabriel Milito, the squad was arguably stronger man-for-man than the team that reached the final in 2014 and the one that triumphed in 2022.
And while the prevailing consensus was that Messi was underused at the tournament, Pekerman has remained unapologetic over the controversial call.
“He’s always said it was the right tactical decision at the time, based on what he thought the threat was from the Germans, and what threat bringing on Cruz would do for the Germans,” adds Orton.
Pekerman resigned in the immediate aftermath of that loss, and by the time of the 2010 World Cup, Diego Maradona was in charge of the national team.
Messi was still only 22 but firmly established as a world-class star, having won the first of his eight Ballon d’Ors the previous December.
Maradona had been a surprise choice as manager. The former Boca Juniors boss Carlos Bianchi had been the favourite for the role, but was overlooked in favour of a man whose only previous coaching experience had been brief stints at Argentine sides Deportivo Mandiyú and Racing Club. There had also been a 13-year gap between Maradona’s time with the latter and his appointment as Argentina’s coach.
The World Cup winner had previously been publicly critical of Messi, and while both tried to put those issues behind them, they never really gelled.
Maradona’s tactical naivety contributed to a disappointing 4-0 quarter-final defeat (once more) against Germany. It is also the only one of six World Cup finals appearances that Messi finished goalless.
Owing primarily to his Barcelona performances, Messi still managed to retain the Ballon D’Or the following January. However, around this time, certain Argentine fans were beginning to feel disillusioned.
“He’s nicknamed in certain magazines and papers, ‘El Catalan,’ the Catalan, so there’s a suspicion he tries harder for Barcelona, that he’s more interested in succeeding with Barcelona than he is with the national team,” says Orton.
“They called him ‘pecho frío,’ which means cold-hearted, and he was not [considered] a full-blooded Argentine, as Maradona would have been.
“He’s lambasted for not singing the national anthem. So there was that kind of backlash, and certainly within Argentina, he was nowhere near as revered as Maradona would have been in the past.”
Four years after the 2010 debacle, a Messi-inspired Argentina made it to the World Cup final.
The Barcelona superstar scored four goals along the way and was officially named the tournament’s best player. However, he appeared exhausted by the time of the final, as his side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Germany (yet again) after extra time.
Still, not everyone was fully convinced. Back-to-back Copa América final penalty shootout defeats to Chile added to the sense that Messi would be remembered as a great club player who perpetually fell short on the international stage.
A poor 2018 World Cup continued this unfortunate trend as Argentina lost 4-3 to a Kylian Mbappé-inspired France in the round of 16.
The pressure was clearly getting to Messi. Twice, he retired from international football, in 2016 and 2018, in the wake of a barrage of criticism, before reversing the decision on both occasions.
But the player and country then benefited from a fortunate twist of fate. Manager Jorge Sampaoli’s contract was terminated after the disappointment of the 2018 World Cup.
The Argentine federation were cash-strapped after the heavy payout to Sampaoli. Ideally, they would have appointed another high-profile manager, such as Diego Simeone, Mauricio Pochettino or River Plate’s Marcelo Gallardo.
Instead, they had to settle for Sampaoli’s former assistant, Lionel Scaloni, who was initially in charge on an interim basis.
Expectations were low, and Maradona was among the pessimists.
“Scaloni is a great boy, but he can’t even manage traffic,” the former Barcelona and Napoli star told Clarin. “How can we give the national team to Scaloni?! With everyone who has passed through that team, who got their teeth and heads broken, you’re going to put Scaloni in?
“Now, Scaloni says, ‘I am prepared’. I’ve never even seen you score for Argentina.
“No offence. As a person, let’s go and share a barbecue. But as a coach and in the national team, no.”
In the end, though, Scaloni’s appointment paved the way for an unprecedented run of success for Argentina and Messi.
“There was just no ego whatsoever,” says Orton. “He comes to Messi and says: ‘What do you need to make this team work?’ And just really [it was about] planning the team around him, and it has worked perfectly ever since.
“In 2019, they came third in the Copa América after some very dubious refereeing decisions in the semi-final against Brazil, and so again, that’s a tournament they potentially could have won, but they beat Chile [in the third-place playoff], and they have just won every competition since.”
The Covid-impacted 2021 Copa América triumph, the first time Argentina had secured the trophy since 1993, feels especially significant, as it put paid to the belief that the Messi era was somehow cursed.
Argentina were among the favourites going into the 2022 World Cup, but their 36-game unbeaten run was ended amid a shock opening group-stage defeat to Saudi Arabia.
That moment was equally crucial on their journey, as it galvanised the Argentines rather than demoralising them. Messi, as well as Scaloni, was a pivotal voice in urging the team to retain their composure after this setback. Some astute tweaks in personnel and tactics also helped matters.
The eventual triumph was particularly impressive as Scaloni had effectively built a new team. Messi, Ángel Di María, and Nicolás Otamendi provided an experienced core, but it was largely a young squad with much to prove.
“There weren’t too many players tainted by previous failures,” says Orton. “They all idolise Messi and want to do the best for him, and it was just that perfect dynamic of young, hungry players who were prepared to sacrifice themselves. There weren’t any egos or big-time Charlies thinking they were better. And it’s interesting since the 2022 World Cup, Messi has become less of a go-to player, mainly because of injury. Even in big games and qualifiers, they have managed to really turn it on without him, so it does bode well for the future. There is a succession coming; it’s not going to all crash once he retires.”
Messi himself has looked happier and more relaxed playing for Argentina in recent years, no longer so burdened by the weight of a nation’s expectations.
With increased experience and confidence, he has become more demonstrative, emotional and Maradona-esque in his behaviour. As a youngster in Barcelona’s academy, he was so quiet that teammates thought he was mute. Two decades on, he had developed into a vocal and assured leader of men.
At 39, he may not be the player he once was, but the last five years have easily been his best period at international level.
At the 2026 World Cup, despite some commentators’ pre-tournament reservations, Messi has proven he can still be effective, with five goals from his opening two games.
“I had no doubt he was still capable of that,” says Orton. “In terms of his influence on the pitch and dictating the game the way he did, I did anticipate that other players maybe would perform more in this tournament for Argentina, but it’s obviously great that they’ve still got that.
“And I think the team is better this time around than it was four years ago. There is certainly more experience, but you’ve got younger players like Nico Paz, who can do that play-making role as well, and fitter strikers than they had last time.”
And for many, including Orton, Messi has even eclipsed Maradona, who passed away two years before Argentina’s third World Cup triumph.
“I think, in some ways, [the longevity] sets him apart from Maradona,” he concludes.
“One thing that helped is he’s got the ghost of Maradona off his back. There isn’t always a direct comparison, and it just gave him room to be Messi rather than ‘the next Maradona’. Although it’s never been said, subconsciously, I think there was probably an element of that as well.”
‘From Moore to Messi: A History of the Argentine National Football Team, 1902-1926′ by Mark Orton is published by Pitch Publishing. More details here.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
2010 World Cup 2026 world cup book Lionel Messi Looking Back mark orton Soccer Argentina