Leo Messi has had a glittering career in football. On and off the pitch he has mostly been adored by fans and teammates alike. His shy and humble nature has captured the hearts of many around the world.
He has been named the best player in the world a record 5 times and has won every domestic trophy there is to win. But his last two months haven't been the best. After losing the Copa final he has now been convicted of tax fraud.
So here are 5 moments the Argentine would not want to relive in his life.
5) A red card on debut for Argentina
You would think one of the best players in the world would have a memorable debut. Well, you were right. Lionel Messi did indeed have a memorable debut but not the good kind. On his international debut, a lot was expected of the prodigy.
Messi came on as a substitute in a friendly against Hungary in the 63rd minute. What a moment it was the youngster, but sadly his debut lasted less than two minutes. Messi attempted to hold off his marker while dribbling the ball and accidentally elbowed him in the face.
The referee misconstrued this as an act of purposeful violence and handed the then 17-year-old a straight red card. It’s safe to say Messi learned from his mistake and after that he has never been sent off.
4) Spitting at a player in La Liga
Messi is a player who is known for his professional conduct on the pitch. He is not a character to get into heated arguments or even confrontations with the referee. But in 2008 in a game against Malaga he did something vile.
It was Barcelona vs Malaga and the conditions were unsavory, to say the least. Puddles of water and mud filled the pitch and it was horrendous to play on but that did not affect the Argentine as he inspired his Barcelona team to a 4-1 victory.
The Malaga players used rough tactics against the Argentine throughout the match with Duda in particular clashing with him on more than one occasion. Towards the end of the game, the pair collided and fell to the ground,
After picking themselves up, Duda was walking away and Messi spat in his direction while the player had his back turned. Cameras caught it and the club and Guardiola had to apologize for the incident and later condemn his actions.
It was a moment of weakness that he would like to forget but sadly the media and football fans never did and never will
3) Losing the World Cup final in 2014 to Germany
Ah, the World Cup! The most prestigious trophy in football. Brazil are the record holders of this trophy but Argentina have only won it twice. The 1986 triumph was the most controversial and the most famous in their history.
Diego Maradona was at the peak of his powers as he scored the ‘Hand of goal’ and a supreme solo effort against England on his way to lifting the coveted trophy. So when Lionel Messi emerged as their next big hope a lot was piled onto his shoulders.
Argentina had two disappointing campaigns, in 2006 and 2010 but in 2014 they were on the up. Fending off tough opponents, they managed to grind their way to the final thanks to Messi’s individual brilliance and a resilient defense.
But when it came to the last hurdle the team tripped over as Germany won a tight game in the last few minutes of extra time. It was heartbreak for Lionel Messi as he despondently walked past the trophy he so desired.
2) Getting convicted for tax fraud
Fast forward to July 2016 Messi has come a long way in his domestic career. But something else was brewing in the background, something the Argentine claimed he was not aware off.
In 2013, reports started to surface that Messi was involved in tax evasion. The Spanish authorities claimed Messi and his father had failed to pay taxes of €4.1 million. The amount was reportedly accumulated since 2006 when Messi wasn’t old enough to handle his finances.
In the next two years, the trial continued to proceed despite appeals to only prosecute Messi’s father. The court also received a recommendation that charges be dropped against the little maestro but they fell on deaf ears.
In 2016 as you already know Messi received a 21-month jail sentence after being found guilty of tax fraud and his father also received a prison term. It was a shocking revelation for the whole world as fans of the sport struggled to believe their hero was not the golden boy they thought him to be.
1) The 2016 Copa America final loss
Yes, there is no doubt that this was the one moment that finally broke Lionel Messi’s spirit. After suffering losses in two consecutive finals in both the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 Copa Centenario everyone was optimistic about Argentina's chances in the 2016 Centenario edition of the Copa in the USA.
Messi was once again at his mesmerizing best as he and his teammates destroyed one team after another on their way to the final of the Copa America. One of those victories came against Chile in the group stage, a mini revenge for their final loss against them in 2015.
When they met in the final it was the game Argentina really wanted to win. But Claudio Bravo produced one of the best performances of the tournament to almost single-handedly keep out Argentina’s attack force.
It came down to penalties and Messi stepped up to take the first one. Normally composed the little man missed his kick and that set the tone for one of the most agonizing penalty shootouts in his career.
Chile triumphed once again and Messi announced his retirement at the age of 29 from international football.
