Why Messi must reconsider decision to quit Argentina's national team
After three straight major finals defeats in three consecutive summers, a tearful and traumatized Lionel Messi seemingly hung up his international boots. If he never plays a game, he will still go down as Argentina’s top scorer of all time with 55 goals in 113 appearances. Only a few days past his 29th birthday, international retirement seems premature.
The world should not accept his decision.
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With the past three years being so difficult, Messi should take a year off. Maybe even take off the entire World Cup qualification process and all the friendlies to clear his mind. That will allow him to focus on playing for Barcelona for a couple of seasons. But when the 2018 World Cup in Russia comes around, the world will need Lionel Messi.
When Russia 2018 kicks off, Messi will still be only 30 years of age. He’s too great to go out on a missed penalty kick on the back of three straight finals defeats. All three times, Messi and Argentina only lost after the regulation 90 minutes had been completed – twice on penalty kicks and once on a late extra-time goal. Brutal, agonizing, devastating all seem to fall short in describing the scene of the best player in the sport falling apart on Sunday.
The utter look of shock that overcame Argentina’s No. 10 and the pained tears he wept soon after were justified. Messi felt the loss. How could he not?
But soccer is a team sport, and his misfortune goes beyond missing one penalty kick. Argentina did not lose the Copa America Centenario final because Messi missed a spot kick. A year ago, he converted his penalty and then watched as his teammates missed kick after kick.
No, Argentina lost because striker Gonzalo Higuain missed an easy chance for the third final in a row, shooting off target after being one-on-one against the keeper. It felt like déjà vu. It was Higuain’s one-on-one miss at the 2014 World Cup final all over again. Or was it Higuain’s miss at the back post in the 2015 Copa America? More than Messi, Higuain should have been announcing his retirement from the national team.
Argentina lost because Angel Di Maria did not last the full 90 minutes for the third final in a row. Di Maria missed the previous two matches due to injury and was the first player subbed off Sunday after an ineffective 57 minutes. The 28-year-old from Rosario left the 2015 Copa America final due to injury and also missed the 2014 World Cup final due to injury. When Chile and Argentina played in the teams' tournament opener on June 6, Di Maria scored and assisted in the Messi-less 2-1 victory. He’s that good.
Without Di Maria, the creative burden felt heavier on Messi’s shoulders. But Messi did create chances. It's just that his teammates failed to score on those opportunities. Argentina took 18 shots and only put three shots on target. In contrast, Chile only managed four shots and put two of those on frame.
A clearly frustrated and desperate Messi even took an uncharacteristic dive and earned a yellow for his acting. Messi doesn’t dive, but he took a flop because he wanted to win that bad. By the end of the match, Messi was trying to dribble through four, five and six Chilean defenders on his own out of desperation. But it wasn’t meant to be.
When Messi stepped forward and missed his penalty, which was his first-ever miss in a shootout according to Fox Sports 1, it hardly seemed surprising. Fate had already decided Sunday night would not be the end of Argentina’s 23-year tournament title drought, though it may end the career of arguably the greatest football player of all time.
But again, Messi can’t go out like this. He’s too great to quit and pass up one last chance at redemption.
When the 2018 World Cup comes around, the world will beg Messi to go to Russia and play for Argentina one last time. How can the greatest player in a generation not answer those pleas?
So, until 2018, take some time off, Leo. But you’re not retired. The world still needs you.
See you in Russia.
Shahan Ahmed is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow Shahan on Twitter: @ShahanLA and @perfectpass
