Hall Of Fame: Lionel Messi, Argentina's All-Time Greatest Soccer Player
In the world of football, many players achieve success, but only a few transform their names into legends. Lionel Messi is one of them. His story with the Argentina national team is not recorded solely because of his talent, but due to his struggle against the expectations of an entire nation until he led the Albiceleste to the pinnacle of world football and completed the final chapter of his greatness. Follow his journey in Hall of Fame.
Lionel Andrés Messi, known simply as Lionel Messi, first gained widespread recognition in 2005 after helping Argentina's under-20 team win the FIFA World Youth Championship. He earned both the best player and top scorer awards at the tournament. This success sparked hopes among Argentinians that Messi would one day inherit the legendary status of Diego Maradona in the national team.
The 2006 World Cup in Germany marked Messi's debut on the senior national stage. Though only an 18-year-old substitute, he showcased his unique talent as Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals. He contributed one goal and one assist. By the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Messi had become a key player and global star. Despite his outstanding performances, Argentina again reached only the quarterfinals, making these early World Cups a period of learning and growing pressure in the national jersey.
In the 2014 World Cup, Argentina advanced beyond the group stage early on. Messi scored 4 goals and provided 1 assist, including a stunning free-kick against Nigeria in a 3-2 win. Argentina reached the final for the first time in 24 years to face Germany but lost 1-0 in extra time due to Mario Götze's goal. Messi finished as the tournament's third top scorer with 4 goals and 1 assist, earned Man of the Match honors four times, and won the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament.
Messi's disappointments continued in Copa America 2015, where he led Argentina to the final again against Chile. The match ended in a draw, leading to a penalty shootout. Messi was the only player to score for Argentina, but the team lost 4-1, finishing as runners-up once more.
At the Copa America Centenario, Messi battled injuries and played sparingly. Coming on in the 61st minute against Panama, he scored a hat-trick in just 19 minutes, helping Argentina win 5-0. In the quarterfinals, he recorded 1 goal and 2 assists, and in the semifinals, he repeated the feat with 1 goal and 2 assists, leading Argentina to a 4-0 victory over the United States. He surpassed Gabriel Batistuta's all-time scoring record for Argentina and helped the team reach their second consecutive final against Chile.
However, history repeated itself in the Copa America 2016 final, with another penalty shootout against Chile. This time, Messi missed a penalty, and Argentina lost again, finishing as runners-up for the third final in a row. The disappointing string of runner-up finishes led Messi to announce his retirement from international football immediately after the game.
Messi returned to the national team for the 2018 World Cup, but challenges persisted. Argentina began with a 1-1 draw against Iceland, followed by a 3-0 loss to Croatia. In the final group match versus Nigeria, Messi scored once, helping Argentina secure a 2-1 win and advance to the knockout stage as group runners-up.
Argentina was eliminated in the round of 16 after a 4-3 loss to France. Messi assisted twice but it was not enough for progression. Nonetheless, he set records as the third Argentine to score in more than three World Cups and became the first player to provide assists in all four World Cups he participated in. Additionally, he was the first since Diego Maradona in 1986 to provide two assists in a single World Cup match.
After enduring numerous setbacks, the 2021 Copa America in Brazil marked a turning point. Argentina arrived with renewed hope, and Messi, older and more experienced, took on a leadership role both on the pitch and in the locker room.
The tournament began with a 1-1 draw against Chile, where Messi scored from a free kick. In the quarterfinals, he led Argentina to a 3-0 win over Ecuador with 2 assists and another free-kick goal. Argentina defeated Colombia 3-2 on penalties in the semifinals, advancing to their fifth major final with Messi in the team.
In the final against hosts Brazil, Argentina ended a long wait by winning 1-0 thanks to Ángel Di María’s goal. It was Argentina’s first Copa America title since 1993 and Messi’s first major international trophy with the senior team. Messi contributed to 9 of Argentina's 12 goals throughout the tournament with 4 goals and 5 assists, was named joint best player alongside Neymar, and won the Golden Boot for top scorer and highest assist provider, marking a triumphant turnaround after years of disappointment.
Following his breakthrough success in the 2021 Copa America, Messi’s confidence soared. With a blend of experienced veterans and rising stars performing well at club level, Argentina became a strong contender heading into the 2022 World Cup.
Argentina’s World Cup campaign began with a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia but recovered with 2-0 wins over Mexico and Poland. Messi scored 2 goals and provided 1 assist during the group stage, playing a crucial role in leading the team to the knockout rounds.
In the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals, Argentina faced the Netherlands in a match remembered as one of the most intense in World Cup history. Argentina took a 2-0 lead with goals from Nahuel Molina and Messi, but the Dutch equalized 2-2 with two goals from Wout Weghorst, including a stoppage-time free kick in the 90+11th minute. The game went to extra time and then penalties, where Argentina prevailed 4-3. The match featured 18 yellow and red cards combined, setting a World Cup record for disciplinary actions.
In the semifinals, Argentina played Croatia. Messi delivered a stellar performance, scoring a penalty and assisting a goal with a remarkable solo run from the sideline, beating young Croatian star Joško Gvardiol before setting up Julián Álvarez for a goal. Argentina won 3-0, advancing to the final.
The final pitted Argentina against defending champions France, led by Kylian Mbappé. Argentina took a 1-0 lead via Messi’s penalty and extended it to 2-0 with a goal from Ángel Di María. However, Mbappé scored twice in 97 seconds to level at 2-2, forcing extra time.
During extra time, Messi scored to put Argentina ahead 3-2, but Mbappé completed his hat-trick with a penalty to equalize 3-3. France nearly won when Kolo Muani broke free, but Emiliano Martínez made a crucial save. The match proceeded to penalties, where Argentina won 4-2, claiming their first World Cup title in 36 years and Messi’s first World Cup trophy. Messi also won the tournament’s best player award for the second time, having previously earned it in 2014.
The 2022 World Cup title was not just a missing trophy in Messi’s career; it symbolized the resolution of all criticism, disappointment, and pressure he endured throughout his tenure with Argentina.
From a young star expected to follow in Diego Maradona’s footsteps, Messi experienced heartbreaks as runner-up in three consecutive finals and even retired from international play. Yet, his determination and resilience led him to captain Argentina to the 2021 Copa America title and ultimately fulfill his greatest dream by lifting the World Cup in 2022.
Messi’s story is not just about a footballer achieving late-career success; it is a tale of perseverance, rising after failures, and repeatedly proving himself until earning unquestioned recognition as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
At the 2026 World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, 38-year-old Messi continues to lead the reigning world champion Argentina squad, joined by many core players from the 2022 championship team.
In the opening match against Algeria, Argentina delivered an impressive 3-0 victory, with Messi underscoring his importance by scoring all three goals.
This hat-trick not only secured a convincing win but also brought Messi’s total World Cup goals to 16, matching Miroslav Klose’s all-time record. He also became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick and recorded his first World Cup hat-trick in his career.
Nonetheless, Messi’s chance to become the all-time top scorer in World Cup history remains open. With only one match played so far, he has ample time and opportunity to break the record and inscribe his name further in football history with a record few can rival.