Lionel Messi, after years of heartache, is back chasing glory with Argentina again

Messi and Argentina | Messi in 2007, and after their World Cup elimination in 2018
Ben Hayward22 March 2019

He has already quit Argentina once and took an extended break from the national team after the World Cup, but Lionel Messi cannot stay away.

The brilliant Barcelona forward has lost four finals with the Albiceleste, suffering the most painful moments of his career in the famous light blue and white shirt. Still, though, he keeps coming back .

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner won an Under-20 World Cup in 2005 with Argentina and an Olympic gold medal for the Under-23 team in 2008, but only heartache has followed with the senior side. At least, that is, until now.

A young Messi missed out on the Copa America as Argentina were defeated by Brazil in 2007. And between 2014 and 2016, three more finals were narrowly lost, one per year. One at the World Cup, two in the Copa.

The 1-0 loss to Germany in Brazil was the hardest one to take. Argentina were so close and on South American soil, they seemed to never have a better chance, but they lost out to Mario Gotze's goal in extra time.

In Pictures | Messi trains with Argentina in Madrid | 21/03/2019

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"I think about that match every day," Messi later said. And in December 2017, he admitted: "I don't know if that wound will ever heal."

Winning the Copa America the following year would have helped, but Tata Martino's men were beaten by Chile on penalties in the final. And a year later in the Copa America Centenario, exactly the same thing happened – and this time Messi missed his spot-kick.

Messi (R) walks off the podium after receiving the second-place medal after losing to Chile in a penalty shootout at the end of the 2015 Copa America Photo: AFP/Getty Images/Juan Mabromata
AFP/Getty Images/Juan Mabromata

That reduced the Barcelona forward to tears. With the Catalan club, he has won everything, yet the story is different with Argentina. And the elusive trophy was no nearer in a chaotic campaign at last summer's World Cup, when Jorge Sampaoli's side exited in the last 16 to France, having been thrashed 3-0 by Croatia in the group stages.

In Pictures | France vs Argentina, World Cup | 30/06/2018

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After a hiatus dating back to that defeat in Russia, Messi returns in Friday's friendly against Venezuela and ahead of that game, there were some familiar-sounding words from coach Lionel Scaloni. "I have to try to get the team to accompany him, to get the best out of him," he said.

That is pretty much what every previous Argentina boss has concluded and Sampaoli spoke of that need even before taking the job. He even made it an obsession, thinking long and hard about how to make Messi thrive as he does for Barca, yet he still could not find the solution.

Winning a Copa America should be within Argentina's grasp, especially with Messi, yet it has escaped them so far in this era. This year's tournament takes place in Brazil and the hosts will be a formidable rival, while Uruguay are always competitive in the continental competition. Colombia and Chile could also be contenders.

And it looks like there will be another chance for Messi next year too as the CONMEBOL are organising an additional Copa America in 2020 (possibly in Argentina and Colombia), with the tournament then to take place every four years after that.

So even at the age of 31, Messi still has opportunities to win a major prize with his national team and may yet feature in another World Cup, although he will be 35 by the time that competition comes around in 2022.

For all that he has won individually and collectively, there is the sense that he will not be happy until he has some silverware with his national team. And that is why he is back in the famous shirt, as captain, against Venzuela tonight. Starting all over again.

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