🗓️ What was the world like when Messi made his Argentina debut?

🗓️ What was the world like when Messi made his Argentina debut? This Tuesday (6), at 8 p.m. (Brasília time), live on sportv, Lionel Messi takes the field at the Monumental de Núñez against Benin for his final game in an Argentina shirt. All 85,000 tickets sold out in about an hour and a half. Messi was rested for the friendlies against Bolivia (4–0) and Burkina Faso's under-23 team (7–0) to save his appearance for tonight. It will be his 208th appearance for the national team. So far, he has played 207 games, scored 125 goals and provided 68 assists, according to figures compiled by ge. What was the world like when Messi made his Argentina debut? His debut came on August 17, 2005, at the Ferenc Puskás Stadium in Budapest, in a friendly against Hungary. José Pekerman's Argentina were leading 2–1 when Messi came on in the 18th minute of the second half. He replaced Lisandro López and was sent off after less than a minute on the pitch. German referee Markus Merk showed him a red card because Messi's arm struck defender Vilmos Vanczák in the face as he tried to break free from his opponent's grip. He would not be sent off for the national team again until 2019, in the Copa América third-place match against Chile. His call-up had a practical purpose: after starring at the Under-20 World Cup, he was being courted by Spain, and playing him for the senior national team avoided the risk of losing him. According to radio station Cadena 3, his strongest defender after the sending-off was Lionel Scaloni, now the coach who led him to the 2022 World Cup title. Seven weeks earlier, Argentina had lost 4–1 to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final in Frankfurt. Curious to know what the world was like in 2005? Well, here are some fun facts! 1. Liverpool were Champions League winners after an incredible comeback On May 25, 2005, Liverpool drew 3–3 with Milan in the final in Istanbul and won the title 3–2 on penalties, after the Italian side had taken a 3–0 lead. 2. The Brazilian league was hit by a corruption scandal Referee Edílson Pereira de Carvalho admitted receiving R$10,000 per match to fix results. Brazil's Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) annulled at least 11 matches, and Corinthians finished as champions, three points ahead of Inter. Edílson was arrested in September 2005, weeks after Messi's debut. The debate is still alive. In May this year, Inter asked the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to recognize them as 2005 champions, without asking for Corinthians to be stripped of the trophy. 3. The Brazilian league's star player was Argentine Carlos Tevez won the Bola de Ouro award and finished as the third-highest scorer, with 20 goals. He had arrived from Boca Juniors in a record transfer worth around US$20 million. Javier Mascherano, another Argentine who would play alongside Messi for the national team years later, also joined Corinthians in 2005. 4. Mariah Carey ruled the charts On August 18, the day after Messi's debut, UPI reported that Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" had spent its 12th week atop the Billboard Hot 100. The Pussycat Dolls were second with "Don't Cha," and "Pon de Replay," Rihanna's first hit, was third. On the August 13 chart, Rihanna's song had been second. 5. YouTube was in its infancy, and the platform formerly known as Twitter didn't even exist The first YouTube video was posted on April 23, 2005, and the site's first public preview did not arrive until May 19. The first-ever tweet dates back to March 21, 2006. When Twitter launched, Apple had not yet unveiled the first iPhone. 6. Orkut was Brazil's go-to social network The Portuguese version launched on April 5, 2005, four months before Messi's debut. Brazil already had more registered users than any other country. 7. The beginning of the Merkel era in Germany In 2005, Gerhard Schröder's government lost a vote of confidence on July 1, and elections were brought forward to September 18. Angela Merkel did not take office as the country's first female chancellor until November 22, and she remained in the role for almost 16 years. Messi would go on to play in his first World Cup in Germany in 2006. 8. Maradona and Pelé on TV On August 15, 2005, Maradona made his debut as host of "La Noche del 10" on Argentina's Canal 13, with Pelé as his guest. The two exchanged shirts and headed a ball back and forth on stage. Diego was 44, and Pelé was 64. Two days later, a certain 18-year-old made his debut for Argentina: Lionel Messi. 9. Today's stars were children—or hadn't even been born Mbappé, born on December 20, 1998, was 6. Haaland (July 21, 2000) and Vinícius Júnior (July 12, 2000) were 5. Lamine Yamal was not born until July 13, 2007. Months later, at 5 months old, he appeared in Messi's arms in a photo for a charity calendar. Endrick was born in 2006. 10. The minimum wage was R$300, and Messi signed a €4 million contract Brazil's minimum wage had been R$300 since May 1, 2005, equivalent to R$10 a day. The law confirming that amount was enacted on August 18, the day after Messi's debut. In September 2005, according to ESPN, Barcelona extended his contract through 2014, with a salary of €4 million and a €150 million release clause. Under the last contract Messi signed with the club, he earned around €138 million per season, including fixed pay and bonuses, according to Record. Between that night in Budapest and tonight, the youngster who cried in the dressing room became Argentina's all-time leader in appearances and goals. Now he brings his international career to a close in front of 85,000 people at the Monumental. So, will you miss seeing the superstar play for the Albiceleste? This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.