Barcelona“The selection is over for me. I looked for it, it was what I wanted the most, and it did not occur“. June 27, 2016. Leo Messi had just lost his fourth final, the third in a row, with Argentina. Constantly questioned in his country, always compared to Maradona, he exploded at the age of 29. In Barcelona (and throughout Europe) no one doubted that he was an extraordinary footballer who won Ballon d’Or and all the possible successes with Barça, his Barça. But when he put on the shirt of thealbicelesteMessi changed the rictus: of the leadership and the roasts in Castelldefels, it was subject to criticism and visceral pressure from the Argentine press. On June 27, 2016, he announced his retirement a few minutes after missing a penalty kick in the shootout against Chile in the Copa América final. In the centenary edition of the championship, the broken throws of the 10 and Biglia frustrated them after a goalless draw.
“I wanted a title with the national team more than anyone and unfortunately it was not given to me“, Messi would insist in a mixed area moved and crowded with journalists. Before the game there had already been rumors that he could leave, but no one had dared to say it very loudly. It seemed unthinkable. But the defeat came and the devastating Messi’s words. His farewell message was not in tears: he had spent them all, heartbroken, on the grass. On the contrary, he did let out a small smile, nervous and out of place, almost ironic, when he referred to the four lost finals – three of the Copa América (2007, 2015 and 2016) and one of the World Cup (2014) – which made him throw in the towel. That wonderful footballer who “had the best of the Argentine street and the best of the academy of Barça”, according to Jorge Valdano, he felt that a new scar with Argentina was already too much pain.
The scars of the lost final four
America’s Cup (2007)
Messi’s erratic path to the finals began in 2007. In a selection plagued by contrasting players such as Riquelme, Aimar, Verón or Tévez, the striker from Rosario would start his first final with thealbiceleste. With the 18 on his back, he saw how a Brazil in full reconstruction – its main star at the time was Robinho – ran over them in the final (3-0) with goals from Baptista, Ayala (own) and Dani Alves.
World Cup (2014)
It would not be until the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, after seven years of facing harsh criticism from the press in his country for his uneven performance between Barça and the national team, that Messi would again guide Argentina to the decisive duel. Under the orders of the late Sabella, a goal in extra time by the German Götze deprived him of the coveted award. Then, he was already the undisputed leader of a team that still had historic players like Mascherano.
America’s Cup (2015)
His skin, however, should still be hardened with two more pats. Both against Chile, with a similar outcome, in the penalty shootout. In the 2015 final, tied 0-0 after regulation time and extra time, Messi scored the first kick, but mistakes by Higuaín and Banega would end up dooming Argentina.
America’s Cup (2016)
The following year, a new Copa America would be played, on the occasion of the centenary of the competition. A new cruel story in the final ended up forcing Messi to resign. It wasn’t enough to be the top scorer in history (he then accumulated 55 goals with Argentina), nor with the five goals in five matches that had taken his nation to a new final: the cruel outcome of missing a penalty – he kicked him over the crossbar – he tore his spirit into a thousand pieces.
The return and a happy ending
His farewell would last almost fifty days. The Argentinian press, the same one that years ago had mockingly questioned whether Messi should not have become Spanish and thus have a World Cup, was furious with him. The fans, however, mobilized to ask for his return, even organizing rallies in Buenos Aires. 45 days after his most painful goodbye with l‘albiceleste, he returned to a call cited by coach Edgardo Patón Bauza. “I love my country and this shirt too much”Messi declared in a statement.
Along the way, there would still be the round of 16 elimination against France (4-3) at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It would be Messi’s last long face with his country in a big event. The elimination would cost Sampaoli the position and propel Scaloni, first as an interim, to the bench. The rest is history.
Argentina, captained by the 10, would win the 2021 Copa America in a historic final against Brazil at Maracanã (1-0) with a goal from Di María. A year later, in a place as unusual and artificial as Qatar, Messi would become, once and for all, the king of football. The trophy is already in Buenos Aires, where everyone already loves it and where Scaloni, that coach of whom Maradona went as far as to say that he “wasn’t even good for directing traffic”, has become a legend. Messi is no longer burdened by the scars of the lost finals.
