Advertisement

Updated June 2nd, 2022 at 14:46 IST

Lionel Messi: Overview of Leo's stint with Argentina as he brings home Finalissima title

Lionel Messi helped Argentina collect first Finalissima trophy on Wednesday by beating Italy 3-0 in a meeting of the South American and European champions. 

Reported by: Suraj Alva
Lionel Messi trophies
Image: AP | Image:self
Advertisement

It can be said sans any doubt that Lionel Messi is a global football icon having won almost every accolade that the sport has to offer. While the Argentine has found success at the club level, his international career has been a topsy-turvy one. However, recent years have been favourable for Messi as he first won the Copa America and now Finalissima titles. Let's take a look at the brief overview of Lionel Messi's stint in the national colours.

Lionel Messi accolades with Argentina 

Lionel Messi's hunger for a title victory under Argentina's jersey ended last year as the squad won the Copa America trophy. The Argentina star had previously come close to winning the trophy twice only to end up short of the target. Let's take a look at Lionel Messi's career with Argentina to date.

Lionel Messi tasted success in Argentina jersey at a very young age. The striker was turning 18 years old when he won his first major title in the form of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. After success at the junior level, he was made part of the senior team during the 2016 FIFA World Cup, but the team bowed out in the quarterfinal stage. In 2007, he was part of the squad that reached the Copa America final. However, Argentina lost to Brazil in the finale. The year 2008 saw Messi winning the Olympic gold in China but since then glory eluded the Argentine.

In 2010,  Argentina crashed out at the quarter-final stage of the FIFA World Cup. In 2011, Argentina lost the Copa America final to Uruguay. In 2014, Messi came close to winning the FIFA World Cup when Argentina reached the final. However, Germany dashed their dreams with Mario Gotze scoring the winning goal for the German side. Messi left that tournament clutching the Golden Ball award.

Argentina came close to lifting the Copa America title in 2015, only to come up short yet again with Chile taking away the honours. In the 2016 Copa America Centenario Argentina missed losing to Chile in the final yet again with Messi missing the spot-kick. The defeat was tough to digest and the former Barcelona star decided to announce his retirement from football. However, one month later he decided to take a u-turn and make his return to the national team.

Lionel Messi ends Copa America nightmare

The 2018 World Cup saw Argentina knocked in the last 16 to eventual victors France. However, all the pain of losing trophies finally ended with success at Copa America 2021. Messi was involved in the goal scored by Angel Di Maria which handed them the trophy. The last time Argentina had last lifted the Copa America trophy was in 1993 when Messi was just seven years old.

Italy vs Argentina: Lionel Messi gets his hand on the second trophy

Argentina collected the first Finalissima trophy on Wednesday by beating Italy 3-0 in a meeting of the South American and European champions. The opener was created by Messi’s solo brilliance taking him past Giovanni Di Lorenzo and the Argentina captain squared for Lautaro Martínez to slot past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 28th minute.

Martínez turned creator in first-half stoppage time by threading a pass through for Ángel Di María to chip Donnarumma, having got past Giorgio Chiellini. The win was wrapped up in the fourth minute of stoppage time with Messi gaining possession on the halfway line and rampaging to the edge of the penalty area where he evaded Di Lorenzo's challenge to set up the substitute Paulo Dybala to strike low into the net.

Advertisement

Published June 2nd, 2022 at 14:46 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

former dsp shailendra singh revealed criminal activity of Mukhtar Ansari
3 minutes ago
TCS 'cash for jobs' scam
15 minutes ago
IBL Finance IPO
20 minutes ago
Congress Press Conference
20 minutes ago
Virat Kohli keeps a close watch on Gautam Gambhir
21 minutes ago
Good Friday
26 minutes ago
Life Insurance Corporation
27 minutes ago
Kerala Nirmal Lottery Sambad Friday Result
31 minutes ago
US Federal Reserve
33 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo