The matches that made Messi an Argentina legend 👑

The matches that made Messi an Argentina legend 👑 It's time to say goodbye. Tonight at 1 a.m., Lionel Messi will bid farewell to the Argentina national team in a friendly against Benin. For 21 years, La Pulga has left his mark on this nation's history and, match by match, built his legend with the Albiceleste. With the big farewell just hours away, let's look back at Messi's greatest moments with Argentina. A troubled debut Lionel Messi's first international appearance lasted... 47 seconds. Given his debut by José Peckerman in 2005, the newcomer was sent off by the referee for elbowing a Hungarian player. His first World Cup goal His legendary World Cup story began one afternoon in June 2006, as Argentina put on a masterclass against Serbia and Montenegro. Coming off the bench, Messi helped secure a 6-1 victory by scoring his first goal in football's biggest competition. A hat-trick in the Superclasico While his early days with Argentina had been something of a mixed bag, with some accusing him of being more Spanish than Argentine, Lionel Messi set the record straight with a hat-trick against rivals Brazil. It included a stunning goal that handed the Albiceleste a 4-3 win in 2012. Early retirement For a while, it seemed La Pulga's story with Argentina would end one evening in June 2016. After his fourth final defeat with the national team (the 2007, 2015 and 2016 Copa América and the 2014 World Cup), Messi announced his retirement from international football, devastated by his missed penalty in the shootout against Chile. The hat-trick that saved Argentina's World Cup hopes In October 2017, Argentina were in serious trouble heading into their final World Cup qualifier and desperately needed to beat Ecuador. Unfortunately, Ecuador opened the scoring in the very first minute. Messi then put his nation on his shoulders and scored an unforgettable hat-trick to send Argentina to the 2018 World Cup. Heroics against Nigeria A few months later, Argentina were on the brink of a group-stage exit at the 2018 World Cup. The Albiceleste had no choice but to beat Nigeria. Fortunately for them, Lionel Messi scored twice, with his first goal becoming legendary, to send his side into the round of 16 and set up a meeting with... France. A first trophy, against their fiercest rivals This time, Lionel Messi finally had his first title with Argentina. After losing four international finals, La Pulga won the 2021 Copa América, just weeks before joining PSG. In the final, Angel Di Maria secured a 1-0 victory for the Albiceleste against Brazil at a nearly empty Maracana due to Covid-19 restrictions. It was a huge relief for Messi, who would make it back-to-back titles with Argentina three years later. The ultimate triumph in 2022 After years of waiting, Lionel Messi finally lifted the World Cup and became Diego Maradona's equal in the eyes of Argentines. After getting the Albiceleste back on track against Mexico in the group stage, he carried his team to glory with an exceptional World Cup campaign, scoring in every knockout round. His two goals against France in the final crowned an extraordinary tournament, in which he was also named the best player. Tears in New York That was probably the moment Messi realised it was over. A few minutes after losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain (1-0), the Argentine legend received his silver medal before heading towards the Argentina fans in the stands. Overcome with emotion, La Pulga then burst into tears in front of his supporters. It was a poignant moment when the football world realised it was saying goodbye to its greatest legend. Which Messi moment with Argentina stood out most for you? This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.