When Lionel Messi takes the field for his last match with Argentina on Tuesday, it will close a remarkable chapter that began when the nation’s football officials were barely aware of his existence. This farewell game against Benin at Buenos Aires’ Monumental stadium concludes an international career spanning over twenty years, which started with Argentina struggling to identify a teenage prodigy developing far from home.
Argentine journalist and author Sergio Levinsky, who penned “Messi and Everything Else,” noted that Messi experienced vastly different phases throughout his career. Initially, he endured significant hardships with the national team, facing considerable challenges and skepticism.
Messi relocated to Barcelona as a teenager, and while Spain attempted to convince him to represent them internationally, his homeland was largely unaware of his talent. At the 2003 Under-17 World Cup in Finland, Spain defeated Argentina 3-2 after extra time in the semifinals. Following the match, Cesc Fàbregas, who scored twice and was Messi’s teammate at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, reportedly told Argentine officials, “You lost to us because we have your best player at Barcelona, and he’s a genius.”
Argentina’s youth coach Hugo Tocalli recalled a similar encounter, mentioning that Spain’s head coach had remarked Argentina needed “a kid who plays in Barcelona” to win the tournament. However, locating the young player from Rosario proved difficult. Argentine Football Association (AFA) staff member Omar Souto searched for the Messi family in Spain using a Rosario phone directory but mistakenly asked for “Leonardo.” He was corrected that the name was Lionel, highlighting early confusion surrounding the player.
The mix-up extended to official paperwork as well. The AFA sent a fax to Barcelona inquiring about a player named “Mecci,” with the surname misspelled and thought to be Italian, reflecting the officials’ unfamiliarity with Messi’s identity.
After overcoming these initial hurdles, Messi made his first appearances for Argentina’s under-20 team in 2004 during two friendlies. Despite this, doubts persisted. At the 2005 Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands, Messi started on the bench as Argentina lost their opening match. Levinsky explained that there was strong resistance to selecting a player who did not compete domestically, and Messi had to overcome suspicions of being a foreigner due to his residence in Spain.
He faced criticism for not replicating his club success on the international stage and was even labeled “pecho frio,” implying a lack of passion, by some fans. However, perceptions began to shift during a 2011 World Cup qualifier against Colombia, where Messi helped Argentina come from behind to win despite harsh conditions. Levinsky recalled that Messi was physically drained, even vomiting, yet still secured victory, marking the first time fans viewed him differently.
The relationship deepened when Messi briefly retired following Argentina’s penalty shootout loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa America final. Instead of blaming him, the public urged him to return, recognizing he was not responsible for the defeats but rather the player who consistently led the team to finals.
Under coach Lionel Scaloni, Messi emerged as the undisputed leader of a new generation, guiding Argentina to two Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup. His transformation into a more vocal captain invited comparisons with Diego Maradona, though Levinsky emphasized that the debate between the two icons misses the point, as both were geniuses in their respective eras.
For Levinsky, Argentina’s affection for Messi was not instantaneous like it was for Maradona. It grew gradually around a player whose upbringing and career largely unfolded abroad but who steadily forged a closer connection with supporters. He described Messi’s acceptance as akin to suddenly discovering an 18-year-old son and having to learn to love him without prior knowledge—a love that was built over time.
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