Lionel Messi: Timeline of his Argentina Career

Lionel Messi sensationally announced his retirement from international football after Argentina crashed to an upset defeat against Chile in the final of the Copa America. 

   1.   Messi makes international debut

   2.   Messi scores first international goal

On March 1, 2006 he scored his first international goal, against Croatia

   3.     Messi wins Olympic gold

Messi guided Argentina to the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

  4.    Messi - A mess in 2010 World Cup

Was part of the Argentina team coached by Diego Maradona that exited the 2010 World Cup after losing 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-finals. Messi failed to score and struggled to find his best form at the tournament in South Africa.

  5.    Messi - The hat-trick man

In early 2013, Messi scored his first Argentina hat-trick in a 3-1 friendly win away to Switzerland and bagged another three in the 4-3 win over Brazil in June.

  6.   Messi surpasses Maradona

Also in 2013, Messi scored a hat-trick against Guatemala to overtake Diego Maradona's international goals tally.

  7.   Messi disappoints in 2014 World Cup too

At the 2014 World Cup, Messi was unable to give his fans the fitting finale as Argentina were beaten by Germany in the final.

  8.   Messi scores a hat-trick in 19 minutes

Messi wowed during Argentina's run to the 2016 Copa America final, scoring a 19-minute hat-trick off the bench against Panama.

   9.   Heartbreaking

However, the end was heart-breaking. In the final, Messi missed a penalty in the shootout and Argentina were beaten by Chile for the second year in a row. After the loss, Messi said he was quitting international football.

Thank you Leo for giving us such amazing memory and era of football. We will miss you in international Football matches. Vamos Messiiiii

   

Argentina begs Lionel Messi not to quit

Credit: TOI

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine football legend Diego Maradona and the country's President Mauricio Macri urged Lionel Messi on Monday not to leave the national team despite his vow to quit after a humiliating defeat.

The Barcelona superstar left the field in tears after missing a spot-kick in the Copa America Centenario final shootout against Chile on Sunday.

He promptly told reporters he was quitting, throwing Argentine football into turmoil ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"He has to stay because he still has playing days ahead of him," Maradona was quoted as saying by La Nacion newspaper online.

"He will go to Russia in form to be world champion."

Messi, 29, is widely rated as the best player in the world, but Sunday's loss was his fourth defeat in an international final for Argentina.

After an outpouring of disappointment by fans online, Macri joined the calls for the Barcelona superstar to stay with Argentina.

"He called him and told him how proud he feels of the national team's performance and asked him not to listen to the criticism," a spokesman for Macri told AFP by telephone.

The 1986 World Cup winner Maradona, 55, blamed Argentina's recent lack of trophies on the country's football association (AFA).

He accused it of not supporting Messi and letting him take the blame for Sunday's defeat.

"Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won't see what a disaster Argentine football has become," La Nacion quoted Maradona as saying.

Messi and the squad landed back in Buenos Aires on Monday evening after the tournament in the United States.

Television cameras followed their coach but the players had yet to make any comment to the media.

Messi is loved in Barcelona but his friends complained of how harshly he has been judged in his homeland.

"This lad is just saturated with criticism and being so badly treated," said Ernesto Vecchio, who was Messi's first coach in his native city of Rosario.

"I don't want him to quit but when I put myself in his shoes it seems unfair that they should look to him as the savior when there are 11 players on the team."

Messi's cool head on the pitch makes him an efficient goalscorer, but his reserved manner has drawn criticism.

Ahead of this month's Copa, Maradona himself accused Messi of having "no personality" for a captain.

Messi has been named FIFA World Player of the Year five times. But he has been haunted by comparisons with Maradona, who led Argentina to World Cup triumph in 1986.

The star's departure could herald a broader change in the Argentina line-up.

Manchester City star Sergio Aguero warned other players could also quit the national side.

"We were all devastated in the dressing room, particularly Leo, I'd never seen him in such a state," he said.

"Several players are wondering whether to continue."

Aguero did not say whether he would follow Messi in quitting but he, Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain were mentioned in media reports.

Argentina were beaten 1-0 by Germany in the final of the 2014 World Cup and lost on penalties, also to Chile, in the 2015 Copa America final.

Messi also tasted defeat with Argentina in the final of the 2007 Copa America.

In this month's Copa semi-final win over the United States, he became Argentina's top international scorer of all time with his 55th goal.

But after Sunday's final, his typical composure gave way to tears of frustration.

"I've done all I can, I've been in four finals and it hurts not to be a champion," Messi told reporters.

"It's a hard moment for me and the team, and it's difficult to say, but it's over with the Argentina team."

His departure left many fans no longer thinking about the Copa.

Maradona calls on Messi to continue with Argentina

Maradona: "They've left Messi alone and I don't want him to be alone."

Maradona: "I want to talk to Messi,To fight for those who were left alone, from first to last."

Maradona: "Messi has to stay in the national team... He will go to Russia in form to be world champion."

Maradona: "I have a feeling they just told him: 'Go and for the love of God do something to save us.' We were a mess and they left him alone."

Diego Maradona insists Lionel Messi must not follow through on his vow to quit international football.

An emotional Messi dropped a bombshell following Argentina's heartbreaking 4-2 penalty shoot-out loss to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final on Sunday, announcing his intention to walk away from the national team.

The 29-year-old's revelation came in the wake of Argentina's third consecutive defeat in a major final as their 23-year wait for a title continued.

But Argentine legend Maradona - regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time - said Messi, whom he coached during his time as national team boss between 2008 and 2010, must play at the 2018 World Cup.

Lionel Messi ● The Top 10 Disallowed Goals in Career

Watch how some brilliant strikes of Leo Messi (back-heel, chest goal, chip, free kicks) were disallowed by both right and wrong calls by referees. Messi Magic™ presents you the compilation of Messi's best disallowed goals that no one ever highlighted so far. The original compilation was on Messi's top 5 disallowed goals. This second version featuring top 10 disallowed goals with the improvement of quality, commentary and music. Enjoy a different type of Messi Top 10 goals. Messi Disallowed Goals: Many of Leo Messi's insane goals were disallowed by wrong calls. They were not only quality goals, they were crucial goals too. In 2010/11 season Messi's free kick vs Sevilla was disallowed by wrong call for which Barcelona drew 1-1. In 2012/13 season another goal vs Real Sociedad was also disallowed which cost Barcelona another match. Few weeks ago another hundred percent valid Messi goal was disallowed for offside when it was never offside. And what happened in 2013/14 vs Atletico Madrid is irrecoverable. Messi's TITLE WINNING goal was disallowed which was 100% valid & onside. Here is the list of messi's top 10 disallowed goal. Sometimes i feel referee does like a blind fellow. I saw many times in messi's case this things happen. Share your views and comments ... Visaca Barca

Summary: Argentina vs Chile

Unfortunately we lost the match but our king Leo Messi won our heart. How can people blame on him and say that because of him Argentina lost. They forgot that because of him Argentina reached in all finals. After seeing this i felt supporters of Argentina are such a Asshole. In interview Aguero said that they treat him like criminal and take lost as the hardest thing as they ever took. It just feel shame on them who cant thank messi for his game and dedication.
You watch this video and show that assholes too who think Messi didn't do anything in match and we lost.


Must share your feedback and comment. Visca Barca

Sampaoli: FIFA Should Ban MSN

Chile boss, Jorge Sampaoli, is in awe of Barcelona's attacking trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar and believes they are better than Madrid's BBC. The Barca trident have bagged 67 goals between them in all competitions this season, as to the BBC's 60. Sampaoli pointed out the relationship amongst the 'MSN' as the factor that places them above the more individualistic 'BBC'. Sampaoli lauded🏻the Barca stars so much that he jokingly suggested FIFA should consider banning them. "Their friendship is the worst thing that has happened to football, It's invaluable. FIFA should ban it. " Sampaoli joked.

CR7: Messi Owes Me

Real Madrid's all time top scorer explained to reporters how he aided his rival with language issues and now expects him to pay up. CR7 insisted that his relationship with Lionel Messi is now better, while jokingly indicating that he is still waiting to be paid  for his translation services at the Ballon d'Or. He explained that he aided Ney and Messi with English translation on stage at a point and told them not to forget to pay him later. He made this revelation after Sunday's game against Sporting Gijon, CR7⭐ affirmed that any supposed tensions with Messi had defused. "We have always enjoyed a good relationship but perhaps in the last few years it has become a little closer," he told reporters.