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#3 Shot at Copa America
Argentina is without an international title since the Copa triumph in 1991, as the soccer crazy nation has watched as crop after crop of talented generations of players faltered on the grand stage.
The country’s greatest football export is undoubtedly Diego Maradona, and his exploits at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico guaranteed him an eternal place in the annals of football history as ranking high up there with the Greatest Of All Time, as well as endearing him to the hearts of his compatriots.
In the intervening years, scores of Argentines have earned the moniker as the ‘next Maradona’ with none coming close to justify the tag, until the arrival of a certain Lionel Messi.
Both men’s similarity in stature and playing style, as well as Messi’s recreation of two of Maradona's most famous (or infamous) goals, ensured that he enjoyed a higher status than those who came before him to replace the all-time great.
Since then, Messi has cemented his status as an all-time great (with many considering him to be the greatest ever), but one thing remains a stumbling block – his lack of international success.
For 12 years with Argentina, Lionel Messi has faltered, with the three consecutive final defeats between 2014 and 2016 serving as highlights of his struggles with the national team, with fans wondering why he fails to recreate the magic he does so easily for Barcelona with the Argentine national team.
However, it is not for want of trying, and Messi’s grief at each failure on the international scene is indicative of a man who is desperate to ease the pains of his countrymen.
The Copa America next year offers perhaps one last shot at international glory and the fact that it is being staged in the home of the mother enemy (Brazil0 gives added incentive, and if Lionel Messi is finally able to break his trophy duck on the international scene, it is hard to argue against him winning the 2018 Ballon d’Or or indeed being considered the Greatest Of All Time.
