Top 5 moments in Lionel Messi’s international career

Jun 27, 2016 at 5:04 PM

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Top 5 moments in Lionel Messi’s international career

It has been a sad week for the world of football with two of the best players of the current generation deciding to retire from National duties in the space of a few days.

After Zlatan Ibrahimovic decided to call it quits with Sweden after being knocked out, the little magician Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football after his team’s loss in the Copa America final against Chile on Sunday.

Though there are calls for him being selfish to leave his nation at the age of 29, Messi has already provided the national with plenty to remember and has been unlucky to not have won a trophy even after playing three consecutive finals including the recent one.

On the eve of the end of his career in a blue and white shirt, let’s take a look at 5 of his best moments with his national side:

Argentina's players Lionel Messi, left, and Sergio Aguero celebrate after winning the men's soccer tournament final between Nigeria and Argentina in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. Argentina won the match 1-0 to take the gold medal. (AP Photo/Roberto Candia)

Gold at Olympics:

Lionel Messi who started his career with a red card in just two minutes then went on to become one of the best players to emerge from the nation.

In 2008 under Sergio Batista, Lionel Messi won his only major honor with Argentina as they defeated Nigeria in the final to run away with gold from the Olympics. He was almost not a part of the squad due to Barcelona’s policies but interference from the then manager Pep Guardiola saw him travel with his side to produce one of the best nights in his career.

A solo effort against Brazil in a friendly:

Back in 2012 when the fierce rivalry between Argentina and Brazil was taken to New Jersey, Leo Messi was on fire.

In a game that ended 4-3 , all seven goals were scored in the first half-an-hour of the game. Messi scored three of those goals for Argentina as he picked one over Brazil on neutral turf asserting his dominance on one of the best sides in the world at that time.

Here is a clip of the goal that he scored carrying it from almost the middle of the pitch to smash a curler past the keeper:

messi-wc

Golden Ball at FIFA World Cup 2014:

Though it was a campaign to forget for Argentina who came within touching distance of the World Cup in 2014, Messi had his impact on the competition.

Having travelled to Brazil on a high from the domestic season, Messi was in sublime form throughout the campaign and was easily the best player in the tournament. Though Mario Gotze’s last gasp winner saw Germany lift the World Cup, Messi ran away with the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament.

Carrying Argentina to the round-of-16 of the World Cup:

In the 2014 World Cup, Messi was once again at his best as he terrorized defenders from around the world.

However, the whole Argentina team found it hard to break through a spirited Iran side that were close to taking the tie to extra time. But the Barcelona maestro had other plans. He took the ball 25 yards away from the goal, beat a defender, made himself space for a shot and found the top corner and all that in stoppage time breaking the Iran resistance to push his team into the round-of-16 of the competition.

Here is a video of his heroics:

The best goal of Copa America 2016:

Messi who scored 5 goals and assisted another 4 in the Copa America this season was unlucky to end up on the losing side.

He was however simply unplayable right from the start of the tournament as he also struck a hat-trick on his way to the final. However his incredible goal against USA, a free-kick, that saw his team’s lead doubled in the semi-final was awarded the best goal of the tournament.

With a striker that is not easy to replicate even with a machine, Messi broke the record for the most goals for the national side beating Gabriel Batistuta’s 54 goal record and broke it fittingly.

Here is his effort that will forever be remembered:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s104ciDtJs0

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