Messi’s Argentina renaissance

Speaking earlier this season, Lionel Messi announced that the World Cup in Qatar would be his last, basing what he suggested was a final decision on his age. Although he is 35 years old, the Argentine will be going into the tournament in remarkable touch, having played a hand in 25 goals in just 17 matches across all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain since the start of the season. Not only has he been impactful in terms of what he has contributed to the scoresheet, but he appears to have recaptured that mercurial magic he lost during his below-par debut campaign in France. Last season, the former Barcelona No. 10 was heavily criticised after he was unable to hit the ground running in Paris following his departure from the Catalan giants, but interestingly continued to deliver on the international stage on the back of Argentina’s 2021 Copa America success in Brazil. Lionel Scaloni’s side have managed to avoid defeat in their past 35 matches, closing in on Italy’s world-record 37game unbeaten streak that spanned three years between 2018 and 2021, proving the Albiceleste will be a force to be reckoned with when the World Cup comes around, but things weren’t always this straightforward for Messi in an Argentina shirt.

Prior to last year’s Copa America triumph, the left-footed superstar had suffered four defeats in major tournament finals (three Copa America finals, one World Cup final), leading many to the sentiment that Messi couldn’t deliver when his country needed him most. For a long time, it was a cloud hanging over his head and the pressure to be at his best continued to get greater. That all changed, however, following Scaloni’s surprise appointment in 2018, with more than a third of his goals for Argentina having come in the last four years. Unlike previous managers, Scaloni has successfully managed to complement Messi’s strengths by building a team that perfectly understands his positioning and movement, as was entertainingly displayed in Argentina’s convincing 3-0 win over Italy in the 2022 Finalissima in June. However, as was also demonstrated in that titanic clash, it is not just the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner whom opponents need to pay good attention to. The likes of Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso have all become key players for the Albiceleste since the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as has Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, whose shot-stopping exploits was instrumental as Argentina ended their 28-year wait for a major trophy last year. In front of him, the emergence of Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero and Manchester United’s impressive new centre-back Lisandro Martinez bring skill and grit to the side, adding to the belief that captain Messi and his teammates should be taken seriously as candidates in Qatar, where they have been drawn to take on Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland in Group C.