Messi and Argentina, an endless love sprinkled with failures
Messi's relationship with the national team has been one of many ups and downs. Considered the successor of the legendary Maradona, Messi has often capsized in the face of pressure from an entire nation.
His countrymen's love for him has always been passionate, often taken to extremes and capable of turning to rage in a split second when the results were not as expected. And for Messi's Argentina, the failures far outnumbered the successes.
A START ON THE WRONG FOOT
Messi's road to the national team could hardly have got off to a worse start than it did on 17 August 2005.
Argentina were playing Hungary in a friendly and in the 64th minute coach José Pékerman was to introduce a young player many considered to be one of the most talented of his generation.
Messi had already been with Barcelona's first team for almost a year, and on 1 May 2005 he scored his first league goal for the Catalans, becoming at that time the youngest scorer in La Liga history (17 years, 10 months and 7 days).
Messi came on for the Hungary game and was keen to impress from the first minutes. He picked up a ball in midfield and started dribbling past opposing players. When Vilmos Vanczák, desperate at his opponent's speed, pulled him by his shirt to stop him, Messi tried to break free and hit him in the throat with his hand.
The referee deemed the kick to be intentional and issued a red card. Messi's national team debut was over after just two minutes of play.
FIRST WORLD CUP
On 3 September 2005, Argentina played in the World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay in a match that Messi would describe as his "re-debut".
His first starting berth came in the following preliminary match against Peru, when Messi won the penalty that would secure the Albiceleste victory, his performance prompting coach Pékerman to say he was dealing with a "gem" and subsequently include him in the squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
After sitting on the bench in Argentina's first match, Messi became the youngest Albiceleste player at the World Cup when he was introduced in the 74th minute against Serbia and Montenegro.
He needed just a few minutes to set up Hernan Crespo for a goal, and later scored the 6-0 goal from a Carlos Tevez pass.
Messi's spectacular appearance was rewarded with a start in the final group match against the Netherlands, a 0-0 draw that ensured Argentina's qualification from top of Group C.
After a win over Mexico in the Round of 16, the Pumas were to be beaten in the quarter-finals by their great nemesis Germany, who won on penalties after 120 minutes of 1-1 draws.
The match was followed by criticism of coach Pékerman, in particular for refusing to field the young Messi.
MESSI AND MARADONA
At 23, Messi was already considered one of the best players in the history of world football, often compared to the legendary Maradona.
South Africa 2010 was the first international tournament in which the Argentine was one of the biggest stars. The moment was all the more special because Leo was even teaming up with Diego Maradona, who was Argentina's coach at the time.
The road to the final tournament was turbulent to say the least. Messi scored just four goals in 18 preliminary matches, unhappy with the position he was asked to play in.
Before the finals, coach Diego Maradona and the Barcelona superstar met to discuss the role that best suits the 23-year-old.
Maradona insisted Messi should continue to play in a slightly more withdrawn position to coordinate Argentina's play.
Argentina got through the group stage without any problems and beat Mexico again in the last 16, but Messi failed to score a goal at the tournament.
And, just like four years ago, after Mexico came Germany and the 'Pumas' were beaten 4-0.
If after the 2006 tournament it was said that Messi could have been the saviour of the national team, now the defeat was blamed on him, and people in Buenos Aires had changed their minds: the Barcelona player had nothing in common with the great Maradona who had almost single-handedly won the 1986 World Cup.
WITH ONE HAND ON THE TROPHY
Four years later, the criticisms of the African tour were long forgotten. Messi had already won six Spanish titles, three Champions Leagues and four Ballon d'Ors.
He was about to turn 27 at the World Cup itself, an age considered ideal for great performance, and with the tournament to be hosted by South American rivals Brazil, passions were about to run high.
"Now you'll see, Messi will win the World Cup, Maradona is bigger than Pele" - so went the lyrics of a song composed by Argentine fans to the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival. And they almost got their wish.
Three group wins over Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria fired the Albiceleste into the semi-finals after two narrow victories over Switzerland and Belgium.
After 120 minutes of tense football, in which the Dutch defended excellently, the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Messi was among the scorers, and misses from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder ensured the Albiceleste progressed to the final.
Standing in the way of their first career World Cup was Germany, who had eliminated the South Americans in the previous two tournaments.
The result was no different this time as Gotze's overtime goal denied the Argentinians their third ever success.
Messi went home with the Golden Ball award, given to the tournament's best player, a pale consolation for a player who would have been willing to lay down his life on the pitch just to get that World Cup an entire nation expected of him.
A FIVE-DAY RETREAT
It's not just the World Cup that has slipped through Messi's fingers. The Argentine star led his national team to two consecutive Copa America finals (2015, 2016), but both were lost to the same opponent - Chile.
After missing one of the penalty kicks in the 2016 final, Messi was completely knocked out.
"I've never seen him so devastated," his national teammate Sergio Aguero was to say after that match.
However, three losing finals in three years in a row, plus another in the Copa America in 2007, took their toll on Messi's psyche and he was to announce his retirement from the national team.
"For me the national team is a done deal. I've done everything I can. There were four finals. I tried. It was the thing I wanted most, but I couldn't get it. It's hard for me, but the decision is made and there's no turning back," Messi said at the time, visibly struggling to stop his tears.
Fifty thousand people took to the streets of Buenos Aires chanting "No te vayas, Leo" ("Don't go, Leo") and five days later the Argentine daily La Nacion announced that the fans' wish had been granted: Leo Messi would continue with the Albiceleste.
"My love for the country and the national jersey is too great," Messi was to say after deciding it wasn't time to quit after all.
"LET'S STOP DEIFYING MESSI"
At the World Cup in Russia, Messi was just a shadow of the player adored by an entire planet.
Argentina had struggled to qualify for the finals with an ageing and in many ways mediocre team, and only Messi's hat-trick in the final preliminary match against Ecuador ensured that the 'Pumas' did not miss out on a place in Russia.
Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria looked at first glance a more than approachable group, but after a 1-1 draw with the Icelanders in a match in which Messi missed a penalty and a stinging defeat to Croatia (0-3), the future depended on meeting the African national team.
Victory came only in the 86th minute after a Marcos Rojo goal (2-1) and Argentina were likened to a dying man kept alive only by machines.
The wires would be pulled for good in the last 16, where Argentina lost 4-3 to France in a match far less even than the scoreline indicated.
"We shouldn't deify Messi anymore," Maradona said after that tournament. Although the Argentine legend was often at the side of the man who was considered his successor, there were times when he attacked him without hesitation, and the 2018 tournament was one of them.
"When he plays for Barcelona he's a Messi, when he plays for Argentina he's another Messi. He's a great player, but he's not a leader. It's useless to try to make a leader out of someone who goes to the toilet 20 times before a match," Maradona added.
Messi was 31 at the time and there were already doubts that he would ever win the World Cup again - if you haven't done it before, can you do it at 35?
THE LAST CARTRIDGE
"The World Cup in Qatar will be my last World Cup," Messi announced shortly before the start of the final tournament. In 2026 he would alreaDan Vasiliudy be 39 and said it was hard to imagine playing for Argentina at that age.
But for Argentina fans, age doesn't matter. So what if Messi is 35? When you have the best footballer in the world on your team, you can only dream of winning the World Cup.
"Muchachos, Ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar, Quiero ganar la tercera, Quiero ser campeon mundial," are the lyrics of the song composed this year by Argentinian fans (Boys, Now we're getting our hopes up, That we'll win the third cup, That we'll be world champions).
And after a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their first group match, the World Cup really seemed like an illusion.
Victories over Mexico, Poland, Australia, the Netherlands and Croatia completely changed the outlook. Messi and Argentina are once again one step away from the trophy, after winning last year's Copa America after a final against Brazil.
Will success against France make Messi the best player in football history? It's hard to compare him to players from different eras, such as Maradona and Pele, but surely a win in Sunday's match will cement his immortal status. Messi will be god forever!