COPA AMERICA PAIN
Lionel Messi's international woes have been by no means restricted to the World Cup: his suffering with Argentina has been exacerbated by a series of Copa America calamities.
As far as most of the world is concerned, Lionel Messi’s international career is synonymous with his failures in the World Cup Finals.
For the majority of us, the mention of Messi in an Argentina shirt will evoke images of his desperate, ghoulish appearance in the wake of his team’s defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup Finals. Or maybe the sight of him powerless to stop that same Germany team romping to a 4-0 victory in the 2010 quarter-finals.
Those with longer memories, perhaps, will recall a young Messi on the sidelines, powerless to help after being left out of the team – and not used from the bench – in a penalty shoot-out defeat to…guess who?...Germany in 2006.
When it comes to international football, there’s no doubt about it: Messi repeatedly failing to win the World Cup is the predominant perception.
But that’s only part of the story, because Messi has also endured consistent disappointment in another extremely important tournament: Copa America.
The continental competition for South America – with guest appearances from special invitees such as Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States and, in next year’s edition, Qatar – rivals the European Championships as the most competitive regional tournament in the world.
To become champions, Argentina don’t only have to beat their traditional rivals Brazil, but also overcome Uruguay. And Colombia. And Chile. And those guests like Mexico and the US, along with occasional threats from the likes of Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru.
That’s a mighty fine set of teams, stacked full of world-class players, adding up to make Copa America an extremely difficult competition to win.
Nevertheless, the fact that Argentina has not lifted the trophy since 1993, when a pair of goals from Gabriel Batistuta overcame Mexico 2-1 in the final, is a source of continual embarrassment and frustration to proud Argentines, whose exceptionally strong footballing heritage struggles to come to terms with a complete lack of silverware since the last millennium.
So, even though it might fly under the radar for much of the outside world, Copa America is a very big deal in South America, and winning it would rank as a major achievement for Messi – comparable with Cristiano Ronaldo’s success in Euro 2016 with Portugal.
And he’s come close. Very close, very often.
Messi’s first Copa America was also his first major tournament as a fixture in the team. In the 2006 World Cup Finals he was basically a substitute, only starting one game as manager Jose Pekerman opted for the greater experience of players like Juan Roman Riquelme, Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola in his starting eleven.
By the following summer, however, when Argentina travelled to Venezuela for the 2007 Copa America, Messi had established himself as a key member of the side. He started five of his team’s six games, scoring in a 4-0 quarter-final thrashing of Peru and netting again in a 3-0 semi-final victory over Mexico.
Everything was looking good as Argentina prepared for the final against a Brazil side lacking star men Kaka and Ronaldinho, Messi’s Barcelona teammate, who had opted not to travel to the tournament. Having won all five games with a combined goal difference of 16-3, while Brazil stumbled past Uruguay in the semi-final with a penalty shoot-out victory, Messi and his teammates were feeling good about their chances.
But the final was a grave disappointment for Argentina, whose arch-rivals scored after just four minutes through Julio Baptista, doubled the advantage through an own goal from Roberto Ayala before the break, and wrapped up a convincing 3-0 victory midway through the second half with a strike from Messi’s future colleague Dani Alves.
At that time, it looked like Messi would have plenty more opportunities to secure South American supremacy, and the next chance came on home soil in 2011. But that proved to be an immensely negative campaign for Argentina, who only won one of their three group games before suffering a penalty shoot-out defeat to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
By then, Messi was firmly established as the best player in the world, having just won his second Champions League crown in three seasons as the fundamental player in a Barcelona team regarded by many as the best in history.
The international scene, however, was a vastly different environment for Messi, who found himself on the receiving end of vitriolic abuse from his countrymen, many of whom questioned his credibility as a ‘real Argentine’ after he left the country at a young age, never to return, and maintained a low public profile, rarely making a fuss about his patriotism – in stark contrast to the predecessor with whom he is condemned to be forever compared, Diego Maradona.
The criticism of Messi during that 2011 campaign was startling, with many media outlets appearing to revel in the opportunity to condemn a young man – he was still only 24 years old – who was regarded by many as too big for his boots. Arrogant, aloof, uncaring about Argentina…the unfounded allegations against Messi were rampant throughout the country, forcing him to endure perhaps the most difficult summer of his career as he suffered the ignominy of being openly jeered by Argentina fans.
Four years later, in 2015, Messi had just won a league, cup and Champions League treble with Barcelona – largely thanks to a spectacular partnership with Luis Suarez and Neymar – as he headed to Chile for his latest quest to land a Copa America title.
It was also, of course, just one year after Argentina’s soul-destroying defeat to Germany in the World Cup Final in Brazil, and the tournament in Chile was widely billed as Messi’s opportunity for redemption: a special player in the form of his life, finally ready to bury his international football voodoo. This would be the tournament, surely?
Again, though, Copa America 2015 ended in bitter frustration as Messi and Argentina lost a penalty shoot-out in the final against Chile, sparking wild celebrations in Santiago as the host nation claimed their first ever major title, under the management of Argentine boss Jorge Sampaoli and led on the field by Messi’s club teammate Claudio Bravo and former colleague Alexis Sanchez.
A year later, Copa America was back again well ahead of its usual schedule for the ‘Copa Centenario’ – the centenary of the first-ever tournament, and the first to be staged outside South America as the party headed to the United States.
This time, it appeared, there would be no mistake from Argentina. The Albiceleste roared through the tournament in splendid style, winning their three group games 2-1 against Chile, 5-0 against Panama (including a hat-trick from Messi) and 3-0 against Bolivia. Then came a 4-1 thrashing of Venezuela in the quarter-finals and a 4-0 dismantling of hosts United States in the semis. And so Argentina were heading into the final with a cumulative record of played five, won five, scored 18 and conceded 2.
Chile – already beaten in the group stage – were the opponents in the final for the second year in a row, but this time they didn’t have the advantage of playing at home and Argentina were the overwhelming favourites.
Once more, though, it wasn’t to be. Messi and co could not find a way past Bravo as Chile held on for a goalless draw, again forcing penalties. The shoot-out started disastrously as Messi fired his spot-kick over the bar, instantly breaking down into tears as he trudged back towards the halfway line. There was no way back as Chile won the shoot-out 4-2 for their second consecutive title, leaving Argentina with three defeats and not a single goal in their three Copa America Final defeats with Messi in the team.
After the game, an even bigger bombshell followed as Messi promptly announced his retirement from international football. If ever proof was needed about the importance of Copa America to Messi and his country, it came in that emotional post-match pronouncement as the Albiceleste’s star player, clearly distraught after losing three major international finals in the space of two years, came to the sad conclusion that he just couldn’t put himself through it all again.
Of course, it didn’t take long before he backtracked. Just a few weeks after he announcing his retirement Messi apologetically asked to be reintegrated into the team – having missed a grand total of zero games – and resumed his international career in the desperate hope of enjoying better fortunes this summer in Russia.
But the cumulative effect of all the agony he has suffered in Argentina colours was plain to see in the immediate aftermath of that loss against Chile a couple of years ago.
Since winning the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2005, Messi has suffered agony in either the World Cup Finals or Copa America in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016 – with only the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where Argentina won gold in a tournament not taken very seriously by the wider footballing world, providing some cause for celebration.
That’s a lot of heartache to bear, showing just how much Messi has suffered with his national team. And while most of us may measure his international success by the World Cup alone, the presence of those Copa America losses has served to deep his heartache with Argentina.
Seven tournaments, seven failures. Can it possibly be eighth time lucky this summer?
For the majority of us, the mention of Messi in an Argentina shirt will evoke images of his desperate, ghoulish appearance in the wake of his team’s defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup Finals. Or maybe the sight of him powerless to stop that same Germany team romping to a 4-0 victory in the 2010 quarter-finals.
Those with longer memories, perhaps, will recall a young Messi on the sidelines, powerless to help after being left out of the team – and not used from the bench – in a penalty shoot-out defeat to…guess who?...Germany in 2006.
When it comes to international football, there’s no doubt about it: Messi repeatedly failing to win the World Cup is the predominant perception.
But that’s only part of the story, because Messi has also endured consistent disappointment in another extremely important tournament: Copa America.
The continental competition for South America – with guest appearances from special invitees such as Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States and, in next year’s edition, Qatar – rivals the European Championships as the most competitive regional tournament in the world.
To become champions, Argentina don’t only have to beat their traditional rivals Brazil, but also overcome Uruguay. And Colombia. And Chile. And those guests like Mexico and the US, along with occasional threats from the likes of Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru.
That’s a mighty fine set of teams, stacked full of world-class players, adding up to make Copa America an extremely difficult competition to win.
Nevertheless, the fact that Argentina has not lifted the trophy since 1993, when a pair of goals from Gabriel Batistuta overcame Mexico 2-1 in the final, is a source of continual embarrassment and frustration to proud Argentines, whose exceptionally strong footballing heritage struggles to come to terms with a complete lack of silverware since the last millennium.
So, even though it might fly under the radar for much of the outside world, Copa America is a very big deal in South America, and winning it would rank as a major achievement for Messi – comparable with Cristiano Ronaldo’s success in Euro 2016 with Portugal.
And he’s come close. Very close, very often.
Messi’s first Copa America was also his first major tournament as a fixture in the team. In the 2006 World Cup Finals he was basically a substitute, only starting one game as manager Jose Pekerman opted for the greater experience of players like Juan Roman Riquelme, Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola in his starting eleven.
By the following summer, however, when Argentina travelled to Venezuela for the 2007 Copa America, Messi had established himself as a key member of the side. He started five of his team’s six games, scoring in a 4-0 quarter-final thrashing of Peru and netting again in a 3-0 semi-final victory over Mexico.
Everything was looking good as Argentina prepared for the final against a Brazil side lacking star men Kaka and Ronaldinho, Messi’s Barcelona teammate, who had opted not to travel to the tournament. Having won all five games with a combined goal difference of 16-3, while Brazil stumbled past Uruguay in the semi-final with a penalty shoot-out victory, Messi and his teammates were feeling good about their chances.
But the final was a grave disappointment for Argentina, whose arch-rivals scored after just four minutes through Julio Baptista, doubled the advantage through an own goal from Roberto Ayala before the break, and wrapped up a convincing 3-0 victory midway through the second half with a strike from Messi’s future colleague Dani Alves.
At that time, it looked like Messi would have plenty more opportunities to secure South American supremacy, and the next chance came on home soil in 2011. But that proved to be an immensely negative campaign for Argentina, who only won one of their three group games before suffering a penalty shoot-out defeat to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
By then, Messi was firmly established as the best player in the world, having just won his second Champions League crown in three seasons as the fundamental player in a Barcelona team regarded by many as the best in history.
The international scene, however, was a vastly different environment for Messi, who found himself on the receiving end of vitriolic abuse from his countrymen, many of whom questioned his credibility as a ‘real Argentine’ after he left the country at a young age, never to return, and maintained a low public profile, rarely making a fuss about his patriotism – in stark contrast to the predecessor with whom he is condemned to be forever compared, Diego Maradona.
The criticism of Messi during that 2011 campaign was startling, with many media outlets appearing to revel in the opportunity to condemn a young man – he was still only 24 years old – who was regarded by many as too big for his boots. Arrogant, aloof, uncaring about Argentina…the unfounded allegations against Messi were rampant throughout the country, forcing him to endure perhaps the most difficult summer of his career as he suffered the ignominy of being openly jeered by Argentina fans.
Four years later, in 2015, Messi had just won a league, cup and Champions League treble with Barcelona – largely thanks to a spectacular partnership with Luis Suarez and Neymar – as he headed to Chile for his latest quest to land a Copa America title.
It was also, of course, just one year after Argentina’s soul-destroying defeat to Germany in the World Cup Final in Brazil, and the tournament in Chile was widely billed as Messi’s opportunity for redemption: a special player in the form of his life, finally ready to bury his international football voodoo. This would be the tournament, surely?
Again, though, Copa America 2015 ended in bitter frustration as Messi and Argentina lost a penalty shoot-out in the final against Chile, sparking wild celebrations in Santiago as the host nation claimed their first ever major title, under the management of Argentine boss Jorge Sampaoli and led on the field by Messi’s club teammate Claudio Bravo and former colleague Alexis Sanchez.
A year later, Copa America was back again well ahead of its usual schedule for the ‘Copa Centenario’ – the centenary of the first-ever tournament, and the first to be staged outside South America as the party headed to the United States.
This time, it appeared, there would be no mistake from Argentina. The Albiceleste roared through the tournament in splendid style, winning their three group games 2-1 against Chile, 5-0 against Panama (including a hat-trick from Messi) and 3-0 against Bolivia. Then came a 4-1 thrashing of Venezuela in the quarter-finals and a 4-0 dismantling of hosts United States in the semis. And so Argentina were heading into the final with a cumulative record of played five, won five, scored 18 and conceded 2.
Chile – already beaten in the group stage – were the opponents in the final for the second year in a row, but this time they didn’t have the advantage of playing at home and Argentina were the overwhelming favourites.
Once more, though, it wasn’t to be. Messi and co could not find a way past Bravo as Chile held on for a goalless draw, again forcing penalties. The shoot-out started disastrously as Messi fired his spot-kick over the bar, instantly breaking down into tears as he trudged back towards the halfway line. There was no way back as Chile won the shoot-out 4-2 for their second consecutive title, leaving Argentina with three defeats and not a single goal in their three Copa America Final defeats with Messi in the team.
After the game, an even bigger bombshell followed as Messi promptly announced his retirement from international football. If ever proof was needed about the importance of Copa America to Messi and his country, it came in that emotional post-match pronouncement as the Albiceleste’s star player, clearly distraught after losing three major international finals in the space of two years, came to the sad conclusion that he just couldn’t put himself through it all again.
Of course, it didn’t take long before he backtracked. Just a few weeks after he announcing his retirement Messi apologetically asked to be reintegrated into the team – having missed a grand total of zero games – and resumed his international career in the desperate hope of enjoying better fortunes this summer in Russia.
But the cumulative effect of all the agony he has suffered in Argentina colours was plain to see in the immediate aftermath of that loss against Chile a couple of years ago.
Since winning the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2005, Messi has suffered agony in either the World Cup Finals or Copa America in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016 – with only the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where Argentina won gold in a tournament not taken very seriously by the wider footballing world, providing some cause for celebration.
That’s a lot of heartache to bear, showing just how much Messi has suffered with his national team. And while most of us may measure his international success by the World Cup alone, the presence of those Copa America losses has served to deep his heartache with Argentina.
Seven tournaments, seven failures. Can it possibly be eighth time lucky this summer?