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He is arguably the best footballer the world has ever seen. The G.O.A.T according to many. But apart from a lone Olympic gold, Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi is yet to win a major trophy with his international side. The ''Messiah'' literally dragged the Albiceleste into the finals of the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa America and the 2016 Copa America Centenario, just to lose three finals in succession.
Messi finished the 2014 World Cup with the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player but was in tears as Argentina lost out to Germany on a solitary Mario Gotze goal. The mercurial No.10 was instrumental again in 2015 as he led Argentina to the final, only to lose out on penalties to Chile. Messi was so disappointed that he reportedly refused the Best Player award for the tournament.
His series of disappointments continued with the 2016 Copa Centenario where the Albiceleste lost out again on penalties to the same opponent. Messi's sorrow was surely compounded since he also missed his penalty during the shootout.
The Argentina National team: The current situation
Jorge Sampaoli vacated his managerial post after a disappointing 2018 World Cup campaign and the Argentine FA struggled to find a world-class manager to fill the vacancy. Sampaoli's assistant and former Lazio wingback Lionel Scaloni got the nod, as the FA's efforts to attract more distinguished Argentine managers like Mauricio Pochettino and Diego Simeone did not bear fruit.
The relatively inexperienced Scaloni has struggled to stamp his authority on the team and the Albiceleste look in disarray, losing 3-1 last week against minnows Venezuela (FIFA Rank:32) and managing a narrow 1-0 win against lowly Morocco (FIFA Rank:43).
Here are 5 reasons why Messi will not win a major trophy with Argentina.
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#5 Rampant Mismanagement within the Argentina Football Association
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has consistently bungled key management decisions of late. For one, they let go of head coach Jorge Sampaoli post the 2018 World Cup debacle, after they had just given him one year to work on improving the national side.
The fact that he had proven himself in International football many times over, including winning Chile their first ever Copa America, was completely ignored. The Brazilian Football Federation, on the other hand, retained their manager Tite even after a disappointing World Cup as they believe in a more long term team building strategy.
In Brazil, it is the best Brazilian managers from the domestic leagues or Europe that usually take the helm of the national side. It is a matter of pride and prestige. The Argentina Football Association's mismanagement is so rampant that the fan favorite to replace Sampaoli in 2018, Marcelo Gallardo turned down the offer.
The two-time Copa Libertadores winning manager of River Plate was reportedly not too uncomfortable working in tandem with the AFA and their much-maligned President Claudio Tapia. Tapia was also unsuccessful in his attempts to bring in superstar Europe-based Argentine managers like Tottenham Hotspur's Mauricio Pochettino or Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone.
Argentina legend Diego Maradona was especially harsh in his criticism of the AFA and President Tapia Argentina's 3-1 defeat last week against Venezuela. The legend remarked:
"Those who are inept and are running the AFA thought that they would win against Venezuela? Venezuela is a proper team and Argentina came into this through the window, not the front door, because they betrayed and constantly lied to people."
Argentina has seen four different managers at the helm in the last 5 years. a fact that has definitely contributed to their inconsistent form and their failure to establish a winning identity as a team.
#4 Lack of leadership quality
One attribute where Messi definitely falls behind Cristiano Ronaldo is leadership quality and the ability to rally your teammates to fight against seemingly insurmountable odds. While Ronaldo rallied his troops to an unexpected win at the 2016 Euros, Messi's star-studded Argentine side went down in the 2014 World Cup final as well as the 2015 and 2016 Copa finals, desperately lacking leadership in the team.
While at Barcelona, Messi has had the good fortune of playing under great leaders like Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and of late, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets. He does not have to shoulder the same leadership burden at Barcelona that he has to in the Albiceleste colours.
Even when players like Javier Mascherano were part of the team, the pressure for inspiration always fell on Messi and the magician has failed to live up to expectations. He is human after all and this problem would and should have been addressed by more capable managers. Messi still retains the captain's armband at Argentina when the AFA should look to reprieve him of that pressure and instead hand it over to goalkeeper Sergio Romero or centre back Nicolas Otamendi.
#3 Internal politics between players and managers
Argentina is consistently hampered with infighting among squad members and also between players and the manager. Sergio Aguero, one of the pre-eminent striker in World football, had a very public falling out with manager Jorge Sampaoli after their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Croatia during the 2018 World Cup.
Tension rose to such an extent that it was reported that it was a player revolt that lead to Sampaoli's sacking after the tournament. Again, the internal strife the squad constantly faces is another sign that shows the Albiceleste lacks a real leader in their midst. This would never have happened under a Javier Zanetti or a Diego Simeone.
Apart from the player-management tensions, there are tensions caused due to personal issues within the squad as well. Mauro Icardi, one of the most devastating strikers in world football and someone who would have walked into any other national side, has been reportedly kept out of the national set-up owing to Messi's grudge against him since he had an affair with (and later married) his friend and former Argentina international Maxi Lopez's wife.
#2 Lack of quality youngsters coming through the ranks
Anyone who has watched Argentina play in recent years will notice that Messi plays much deeper than he does at Argentina, often initiating attacks from his own half. Argentina has yet to give Messi a creative midfield partner who can shoulder the burden.
Ever Banega and Angel Correa have been inconsistent while the early promise shown by Javier Pastore has fizzled out due to frequent injuries. With Juventus' ace Paulo Dybala occupying the same position at Messi at club level, Argentina often set their team out with Messi as the lone playmaker.
All this while, their main South American rivals Brazil has managed to develop the bedrock of a world-beating side, identifying a core group of veterans like Thiago Silva, Casemiro, Alisson, Neymar, Coutinho and Firmino and mixing it with some exciting talent who have set this European season on fire like Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, Ajax's David Neres, Barcelona's Arthur and AC Milan's Lucas Paqueta. No such young talent has come through for Argentina.
Manager Tite was able to build this squad since the Brazilian federation kept their confidence in the Copa Libertadores winning gaffer despite an underwhelming showing at the 2018 World Cup. Consistency is key, as is also shown by the 2011 Copa America winning manager Oscar Tabarez who is still in charge of Uruguay, where he also has built a squad that found the right mix of youth and experience, combining the veteran superstars Diego Godin, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani with some supremely talented younglings like Juventus' Rodrigo Bentancur, Celta Vigo's Maxi Lopez, Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez, and AC Milan's Diego Laxalt.
It is for this reason that Brazil (3) and Uruguay (7) sit comfortably ahead of the inconsistent Albiceleste (11) in the latest FIFA Rankings. Youth will be key as teams continue building up with an eye on the final prize-title glory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
When it comes to comparison with major European teams, the disparity in the quality of the youth pipeline becomes starker. World Champions France boasts the supremely talented Kylian Mbappe, the electric winger Ousmane Dembele, Lyon's 22-year-old central Tanguy Ndombele and new Bayern Munich signing Benjamin Pavard.
Gareth Southgate of England is building a squad almost exclusively consisting of youngsters and if the 10 goals they smashed past their opposition in last week's round of Euro qualifiers are any indication, the faith put in the youth is working. 20-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, Chelsea's skillful winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and Dortmund's new sensation Jadon Sancho are just some of the mercurial youngsters Southgate has at his disposal. Add to this the talent factories of Germany and Spain and one would easily conclude that Argentina is way behind
Argentina Results since World Cup 2018
- Argentina 3-0 Guatemala (Friendly)
- Argentina 0-0 Colombia (Friendly)
- Iraq 0-4 Argentina (Friendly)
- Argentina 0-1 Brazil (Friendly)
- Argentina 2-0 Mexico (Friendly)
- Argentina 2-0 Mexico (Friendly)
- Argentina 1-3 Venezuela (Friendly)
- Morocco 0-1 Argentina (Friendly)
#1 The Age Factor
Lionel Messi is having yet another spectacular season at Barcelona, smashing 37 goals in all competitions while providing an astonishing 15 assists. The Argentine is 31 now and will be 34 by the time of the 2022 World Cup.
Age can take a toll on the best of players and not even Messi is immune from its effects. Argentina's recent inconsistent results, combined with the lack of a core team structure means they have virtually no chance to progress far in the 2019 Copa America, with Brazil, Uruguay, and defending champions Chile looking strong.
With the combination of all the mercurial youngsters Brazil, France, England, Germany, and Spain have at their disposal hitting their prime and Messi nearing retirement age, the hopes that La Pulga can lead Argentina to the title in 2022 are slim at best.
Is he the greatest player of his generation? Arguably yes! But will he retire as the greatest player never to have won the World Cup alongside players like Johan Cruyff, Alfredo di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Michel Platini, and Zico? - in all probability - yes.
