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Arguably the greatest talent the world has ever seen, having won everything the club game has to offer, today Lionel Messi finds himself facing the final frontier: An International Trophy. Perhaps the only thing standing between his status of the "Greatest of all time " or just a once in a generation prodigy.
Well, come 2017 and we look at Argentina getting ready to face Ecuador in their last World Cup qualifying match; a must-win game. To add to that, they also need other results to go their way to go through. But would anybody had ever, in their wildest of dreams imagined of a World Cup without Messi and Argentina? Imaginations might very soon become reality.
Let us decode the 5 factors which have gone against Messi and his quest for international glory with The Albiceleste:
#1 Does the star-studded Argentina squad really play to its potential?
On paper, the team looks unmatched with the likes of Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuaín, Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano and youngsters of the calibre Paulo Dybala and Mauro Icardi doing well at the club level. However, this is where the English saying " Too many cooks spoil the broth " holds true to the very best.
Individually, all above-mentioned players are stars at their clubs but when it comes to the National Team (NT), it just doesn't work. Very often we have seen the likes of Higuaín, Aguero and more recently Dybala being benched in favour of Messi or to allow for more midfield and defensive stability.
Too much-attacking talent without midfield creativity has made them look pale at times.
#2 The manager and tactics
When Jorge Sampaoli took over as the manager of National Team, everyone expected Argentina to flourish and Messi to finally take the centre stage. Sampaoli's fondness of Messi is well-known. The duo were very close to being united when Sampaoli was in contention to be Barcelona's manager in the summer of 2017.
However, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) stepped in and appointed him as the NT manager over his eagerness to work with Messi.
But having won only 2 games with 5 games in charge of the team, Sampaoli has come under intense scrutiny as even he cannot extract the fullest out of the talent at his disposal. What's more questionable is his tactics which only he can explain.
He benches performers, Dybala, starts non-regulars like Acuna and Benedetto. Add to that his formations and all you get is what only Sampaoli can understand.
#3 Comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo
Well, we're blessed to witness a generation in which two footballers who if they had played at different generations could have easily been termed as all-time greats. It is this competition that drives them to perform and has the pundits, media and the fans all over the world divided.
With Ronaldo winning the Euro 2016 with Portugal, everyone has pondered as to when Messi will lift an international trophy at the senior level. Also one might draw inferences from the Portuguese squad that despite being not as naturally talented as Argentina, the men in red have played as a cohesive unit.
Ronaldo's rise as their leader with the influx of talented youth coming up the ranks -- Adrien Silva, Bernando Silva, Renato Sanches, Andre Gomes -- has been key, something Argentina haven't replicated.
#4 FIFA World Cup Qualification and the CONMEBOL
What if I told you that even for a team as strong as Argentina, the qualification very much depends upon the group of teams it is competing with. Well, this may seem a little out of the ordinary but is indeed very relatable.
The Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL) is FIFA's governing body for South American nations and it is probably the toughest to qualify for these countries. Ten good teams in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Paraguay and Bolivia battle it out for just 4 automatic spots.
Not only does it make qualification difficult, it also makes goal scoring difficult. Clearly, it explains Messi's lack of goals in this campaign as well. As far as 2018 scenario is concerned, Brazil and Uruguay have already qualified whereas Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia are still vying for remaining three spots. I will leave you here with the permutations and combinations.
#5 Weight of expectations
When you think of countries where football is a religion, Argentina instantly come to the mind. For a nation that had won it's previous World Cup way back in 1986 due to the genius of Diego Maradona, they all look up to Messi to repeat the miracle more so in hope than anything else. They just expect him to do it all alone. Also, Messi's magnificent record with Barcelona makes many of them wonder, Why can't he do it with Argentina?
Messi has also faced allegations such as not being completely dedicated and patriotic to Argentina, as he moved to Spain at such a young age. However, many don't know that Messi was offered Spanish nationality and a chance to represent Spain. But the little genius politely declined the offer showing his love for Argentina, that too, being a teenager.
