Lionel Messi has closed his journey with the Argentine national team after more than two decades of dedication. Although he has won almost all major titles with Albiceleste, past criticisms seem to still leave a deep impression in the mind of the 39-year-old superstar.
In his farewell to the Argentine team, Messi did not focus on recalling the records or titles he has won. Instead, the most mentioned thing is the love for the blue and white jersey and the desire to always dedicate himself to the country.
Messi admitted that the decision to break up made him heartbroken. However, after all, he felt happy and proud to bring Argentina fans moments that once only existed in dreams with his teammates.
What is noteworthy is that El Pulga still mentions that he always fought and contributed to the team, even in the most difficult periods. For a player who has won the World Cup, two Copa Americas and scored 70 goals in 91 appearances since first announcing his retirement from the national team in 2016, the fact that he still feels the need to affirm that shows that the wounds in the past have not completely disappeared.
Messi's journey with Argentina once went through disappointing years. Before 2021, he continuously failed in major finals. Argentina successively missed Copa America 2007, World Cup 2014 and two Copa America 2015, 2016. Messi at that time was the most important player, but also often became criticized.
At one point, he was suspected of his love for the team. Messi's lack of intense emotions on the field was also interpreted as a lack of enthusiasm. Even the fact that he did not sing the national anthem once became a topic for public discussion.
Those criticisms became even heavier after the defeat to Chile in the 2016 Copa America final. That was the third consecutive time Argentina failed in a major final. Messi then announced his retirement from the national team and admitted that everything seemed not for him.
2 months later, he changed his decision and returned. That was also the turning point that opened the most successful chapter in Messi's international career.
From 2021, everything changed completely. Argentina won the Copa America, then continued to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Messi finally did what he was once considered impossible: brought Argentina back to the top of world football.
Those titles should have been enough to close all debates. Messi also became the top scorer in Argentina's history and continued to consolidate his position in the debate about the greatest player of all time.
However, the recent farewell shows that he has not completely forgotten the years of being doubted. El Pulga does not repeat the criticisms to blame the fans, but seems to only want to affirm one thing: the love for Argentina has never changed.
That is probably the most notable aspect in Messi's decision to leave. After all the titles, records and historic moments, he is still a person with very ordinary emotions and hurts.
Messi left the Argentine team in the position of a champion. He has nothing left to prove on the pitch. But still mentioning the difficult years shows that journey was not only created by glory.
There are wounds that do not disappear just because people have won. For Messi, perhaps what he needs now is not another title, but to truly let go of the obsessions that once hurt him.
