Lionel Messi’s Argentina career ended on Monday, August 31, with Messi regarded as one of the greatest ever to play football. However, it did not begin with the celebrations that would eventually define it.
Before the World Cup triumph, the Copa America titles and the adulation of an entire country came a long list of painful defeats. Messi lost major finals, endured early tournament exits and, at his lowest point, walked away from international football altogether.
From the 2007 Copa America final to the 2016 defeat to Chile that led to his first international retirement, these setbacks shaped Messi into the player and leader he eventually became.
Here are five of the biggest heartbreaks of Messi’s Argentina career, moments that made the glory that followed even more significant.
2007 Copa America final: Brazil end Argentina’s first big chance
The first major heartbreak in Messi’s international career came when he was still only 20.
Argentina had reached the 2007 Copa America final in Venezuela after an impressive campaign. Messi had already begun showing why he was destined to become one of football’s greatest players, scoring against Peru and Mexico in the knockout stages.
But the final against Brazil proved a step too far. Brazil won 3-0, with Julio Baptista opening the scoring. Brazil’s second goal was an own goal by Argentina’s Roberto Ayala, while Daniel Alves scored the third. Messi was unable to make a difference as Argentina suffered a heavy defeat.
It was Messi’s first major final with Argentina and an early indication of how difficult international football would become for him.
The disappointment was especially painful because Argentina had entered the final as favourites and Messi had been one of the standout young players of the tournament.
2014 World Cup final: Germany’s extra-time blow
If there was one defeat that came closest to changing Messi’s Argentina legacy before the trophy-winning era, it was the 2014 World Cup final.
Argentina arrived in Brazil with Messi as captain and in outstanding form. He scored in all three of Argentina’s group matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria, before helping them navigate a difficult knockout stage.
Argentina defeated Switzerland and Belgium before beating the Netherlands on penalties in the semi-final.
For the first time, Messi was 90 minutes away from becoming a World Cup champion.
The final at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana was goalless after 90 minutes. Messi had a major opportunity early in the second half, but his effort went wide.
Then, in the 113th minute, Germany’s Mario Gotze controlled Andre Schurrle’s cross on his chest and finished past Sergio Romero.
Argentina had lost 1-0 after extra time. Messi was awarded the World Cup Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, but the individual honour offered little consolation.
The World Cup had been within touching distance, only for it to disappear in extra time.
2015 Copa America final: Another shootout, another trophy lost
One year later, Messi had another chance to end Argentina’s long wait for a major senior international title.
Argentina reached the 2015 Copa America final in Chile, setting up a meeting with the hosts.
The match remained goalless after 90 minutes and extra time, sending the final to penalties.
Chile won the shootout 4-1, with Messi scoring Argentina’s only successful penalty.
It was another final lost for Argentina and Messi, and the disappointment was becoming a pattern. He had now lost the 2014 World Cup final and the 2015 Copa America final in successive years.
But his next opportunity for international glory was set to hurt him even more.
2016 Copa America final: The missed penalty and shock retirement
The 2016 Copa America Centenario was supposed to provide redemption. Argentina reached the final again, facing Chile once more. Once again, the match ended 0-0 after extra time. And once again, the trophy would be decided by penalties.
This time, Messi’s own penalty became the defining image. After Chile’s Arturo Vidal had his penalty saved, Messi stepped up for Argentina. He sent his attempt over the crossbar. Chile eventually won the shootout 4-2.
Messi was devastated, sitting in tears after the defeat. Argentina had now lost three major finals in three consecutive years – the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals.
Then came the bombshell. Messi announced his retirement from international football.
“For me, the national team is over,” he said. “I’ve done all I can. It hurts not to be a champion.”
At just 29, Argentina’s biggest star appeared to have reached the end of his international journey. Fortunately for Argentina and his fans across the globe, the retirement lasted only 66 days before he made himself available for selection again.
2018 World Cup: From penalty miss to France heartbreak
Messi returned to the Argentina team, but his next World Cup brought another difficult chapter.
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Argentina opened their campaign against Iceland. Messi had the opportunity to give his team the lead from the penalty spot but saw his effort saved in a match that ended 1-1. Argentina then suffered a 3-0 defeat to Croatia, leaving their hopes of reaching the knockout stage in serious danger.
Messi responded against Nigeria, scoring a brilliant goal to help Argentina win 2-1 and advance to the last 16.
But France was waiting. Argentina took the lead twice but eventually lost 4-3 in one of the tournament’s most entertaining matches. Messi assisted two of Argentina’s goals, but a young Kylian Mbappe stole the headlines with two goals and by winning a penalty.
For Messi, another World Cup had ended without the trophy. And yet, this would be the final major disappointment before the story began to change.
The pain made the glory sweeter
Any assessment of Messi’s international legacy cannot be separated from these defeats.
The 2007 Copa America final was the first major disappointment. The 2014 World Cup final brought him within touching distance of the biggest prize in football. The back-to-back Copa America defeats in 2015 and 2016 turned disappointment into despair, with the latter prompting his shock retirement. Even the 2018 World Cup ended in heartbreak. But Messi kept coming back.
He eventually got his breakthrough and won the 2021 Copa America, followed by the 2022 World Cup and another Copa America title in 2024. By the time he announced his international retirement in 2026, he had become Argentina’s record appearance holder and leading scorer, with 207 caps and 125 goals.
The irony of Messi’s Argentina career is that the defeats that once defined him ultimately became part of what made his redemption so powerful.
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