With a nation on his shoulders and a career defined by almost mythical achievements, Lionel Messi spent years chasing football’s ultimate prize. For much of his illustrious journey, one honor remained missing from his otherwise complete legacy: lifting the FIFA World Cup in the colors of the Albiceleste. That pursuit began in 2006, when a teenage Messi arrived in Germany as Argentina’s most celebrated prodigy, selected by José Pékerman as part of the national squad. After watching the opening match from the bench, he announced himself on the world stage in emphatic fashion, recording his first World Cup appearance, assist, and goal in a dominant 6–0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro. He later earned a place in the starting lineup against the Netherlands and experienced knockout football for the first time on his 19th birthday, helping Argentina defeat Mexico in extra time, before their campaign ended in a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Germany—an early setback that marked only the beginning of Messi’s World Cup story.
Four years later, Messi returned under the guidance of Diego Maradona at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Argentina advanced from the group stage with three wins, though performances often failed to reflect the immense quality within the squad. Operating primarily as a creative force rather than a goal scorer, Messi entered the knockout rounds without finding the net but remained central to Argentina’s attacking play, contributing to the victory over Mexico in the round of 16. Once again, Germany stood in the way, delivering a crushing 4–0 defeat that exposed Argentina’s structural weaknesses and left Messi’s World Cup dream unfulfilled.
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil saw Messi come agonizingly close to glory. Arriving after an injury-affected season with Barcelona, he silenced doubts with decisive performances from the outset, scoring against Bosnia and Herzegovina, producing a late winner versus Iran, and netting twice against Nigeria in the group stage. As the tournament progressed, Messi emerged as Argentina’s driving force, creating Ángel Di María’s winning goal against Switzerland and playing a pivotal role in victories over Belgium and the Netherlands to reach the final. At the Maracanã, however, Argentina fell to Germany once more, undone by Mario Götze’s extra-time goal, leaving Messi to accept the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player amid profound disappointment.
Argentina’s struggles continued in 2018, as an unbalanced and inconsistent campaign in Russia placed immense pressure on Messi. He scored only once, delivering a moment of brilliance against Nigeria to secure qualification from the group stage, but Argentina were eliminated in the round of 16 by a dynamic French side that would go on to win the tournament. By the time the 2022 World Cup in Qatar arrived, Messi’s quest had taken on a sense of finality. His campaign began with shock and adversity, as Argentina suffered an unexpected defeat to Saudi Arabia despite Messi opening the scoring. Yet the response was measured and resolute, with victories over Mexico and Poland restoring belief and momentum. Through resilience, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the cause, Messi once again carried Argentina forward, continuing his relentless pursuit of football’s most coveted prize.
