05 September,2026 09:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Ashwin Ferro
Argentina skipper Lionel Messi during the recent FIFA World Cup. Pic/AFP
Argentine legend Lionel Messi's decision to retire from international football was more or less on expected lines, though there has been an understandable outpouring of emotion from his multitude of fans worldwide. Messi announced his international retirement on August 31, ending a 21-year Argentina career with 207 appearances and 125 goals.
Personally, for me, Messi's journey came full circle four years ago, when I watched him lift the FIFA World Cup at a packed Lusail Stadium in Qatar. This was exactly 14 years after I had watched him for the first time, as he dazzled at Beijing 2008 to help Argentina win Olympic gold under skipper Juan Riquelme. It was a glimpse of a superstar in the making.
Interestingly, Sergio Aguero was a massive Argentine star in Beijing, not only because he had won the U-20 World Cup in the preceding year, but more so because he was dating the legendary Diego Maradona's daughter at the time. But it was Messi's magic on the pitch that ultimately helped Argentina attain supremacy. The then 21-year-old Messi provided the perfect assist in the 58th minute for Angel Di Maria, who chipped the ball over Nigerian goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin to seal a 1-0 win.
It has been 21 years since Messi first wore an Argentina jersey - during his dramatic debut in a 2-1 friendly win over Hungary at the Puskas Stadium in Budapest. Dramatic because, within a minute of coming on as a substitute in the 63rd minute, 18-year-old Messi was shown a straight red card following a physical duel with Hungarian defender Vilmos Vanczak who was tugging on his shirt. It was remarkable because that would be one of only two red cards Messi received during his international career. Videos of the incident clearly show his then Argentina teammate Lionel Scaloni vehemently arguing with the referee to take back the red card. Seventeen years later, Scaloni was the team manager when Messi helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup. Messi's talent and humility invariably attracted such loyal friendships throughout his international career. India saw this first-hand when Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul happily assumed bodyguard-like duties during Messi's historic India visit last December. Messi's second red card came much later, in the 2019 Copa America third-place match following a confrontation with Chile's Gary Medel.
Some critics claim Messi was unfairly favoured and protected by referees and even FIFA because of his superstar status. While some instances may suggest so, for much of his international journey, Messi was arguably the most heavily tackled player on the pitch.
Former India captain Sunil Chhetri rightly told this newspaper recently that besides Messi's unmatchable speed, deceptive dribbles and super-intelligent passes, it's his ability to absorb contact from defenders, who are physically much bigger and stronger than him, and still emerge with the ball at his feet, that's remarkable. To do that consistently for more than 20 years, while collecting a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, is superhuman.
So, the eternal question is: Will international football ever see another Messi?
Chhetri has an apt answer: "Who knows? There could be a young kid somewhere in the world right now, kicking a ball around, with this incredible, God-given talent and the potential to become the best player in the world. Will there be another Messi? Personally, I think maybe not. Players like him come around once in a lifetime. But could there be another player, who gives us that same kind of excitement, joy and feeling of watching something truly special? Why not? Football always finds a way to surprise us."
Meanwhile, some die-hard fans still hope Messi will put on his No. 10 Argentina shirt again. He has done it before. On June 26, 2016, after missing a penalty in Argentina's Copa America final defeat to Chile in New Jersey, Messi quit international football in a huff. The accumulated disappointment probably took its toll considering Argentina had also lost the 2014 FIFA World Cup final to Germany and the 2015 Copa America final to hosts Chile. But Messi returned to the Argentine blue just 67 days later. His fans would want history to repeat itself, just as Messi tirelessly repeated his dribbles, assists and goals for Argentina over the years.
mid-day's Sports Editor Ashwin Ferro loves to play ball, fair and square, and everywhere.
He tweets @ashwinferro
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The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper
