Lionel Messi's 2005 Argentina debut began with excitement, ended with a red card after 47 seconds: 'It was not like I had dreamed it would be'

Lionel Messi of Argentina challenges Vilmos Vanczák of Hungary during their friendly soccer match in Budapest's Puskas stadium August 17, 2005. (REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh LB/CCK) REUTERS / REUTERS Lionel Messi's growing reputation had preceded him when Argentina visited Hungary for a friendly match on Aug. 17, 2005 at Ferenc Puskás Stadium. The young Barcelona talent had made seven appearances for the La Liga side's senior team the previous season as his club career was just taking off. Messi's play with the youth team and his six goals in helping Argentina capture the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup one month earlier helped him his first senior national team call-up. La Seleccion was a year out from the 2006 World Cup and had failed to advance out of the group stage at the 2002 tournament. They had finished as runners-up at the 2004 Copa América, their best finish since winning back-to-back continental titles in 1991 and 1993. Could "the little boy from Rosario" help bring Argentina back to being a world soccer power? The 18-year-old Messi started the match on the bench watching an Argentina lineup that featured names such as Hernán Crespo, Gabriel Heinze, Lisandro López, and Roberto Ayala. There was also Chelsea manager José Mourinho in attendance. Maxi Rodríguez and Sándor Torghelle traded goals to send the match into halftime tied at one. In the 63rd minute, Heinze put Argentina ahead for good. A 14 AÑOS DEL INCREÍBLE DEBUT DE MESSI EN LA SELECCIÓN Un 17/8, pero de 2005, Leo jugó por primera vez con la Mayor en un amistoso ante Hungría, ingresó en el ST por Lisandro López y se fue expulsado... ¡a los 40 segundos! pic.twitter.com/NatYWMV8Bp — TyC Sports (@TyCSports) August 17, 2019 Shortly after Argentina regained the lead, manager José Pékerman made the change everyone had been awaiting as Messi entered the match in the 64th minute for López. After getting a few touches on the ball early into his appearance, Messi made his first threatening move in his Argentina career. Following two quick scans of his surroundings, Messi accepted a pass in the middle of Hungary's half and began driving with the ball towards the penalty box. His quick acceleration was suddenly slowed as full-back Vilmos Vanczák grabbed Messi's baggy blue and white jersey. As Vanczák pulled on the No. 18 kit, Messi swung his arm back, hitting Vanczák in the face. German referee Markus Merk, who had a perfect view of the incident, immediately whistled for a foul as Vanczák was falling to the ground. Merk then issued Vanczák a yellow card before showing a red card to Messi after shooing away Argentina players arguing the decision, including now-Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, who started on defense. Messi's much-anticipated debut lasted all of 47 seconds. He walked off the field in disbelief as the 25,000 fans in attendance whistled their displeasure. "He came through me and had hold of me and I wanted to break free, but the referee interpreted it as though I had tried to shove him away," Messi said afterward. "I went on with a lot of time left in the game, but then what happened, happened. "It was not like I had dreamed it would be." "I don't think he wanted to hit me with his elbow but he wanted to escape and he touched my throat with his elbow — but I didn't expect him to get a red card," Vanczák told The Athletic in 2022 . "It was only a friendly!" The red card, one of three in his entire club and international career, forced Messi to miss Argentina's friendly that November against England. The two sides would not meet again until the 2026 World Cup semifinals, which saw Messi set up both goals during a 2-1 victory . Now 21 years later, Messi is calling time on his legendary Argentina career with one final match. Benin will be the opponent; Estadio Más Monumental will be the setting; and a debut to forget will continue to be long forgotten — replaced instead by the decades of moments he provided for the sport.