Four France goals ended Lionel Messi’s fourth FIFA World Cup on Saturday and may have brought down the curtain on an international career seemingly destined to end in disappointment. Tens of thousands of Argentines poured into Kazan hoping to see Lionel Messi carry an ageing side over one more hurdle after his solitary goal in Russia helped avoid an embarrassing group-stage exit against Nigeria. He played his part with two assists in a World Cup 2018 classic in the last-16 tie but it was not enough to save Argentina’s fragile defence from the firepower of France and, in particular, 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe in a 4-3 defeat.
The Round of 16 is the earliest he has exited the competition.
Having turned 31 earlier in the tournament, it looks increasingly like defeat in the final four years ago is as close as he will come to matching Diego Maradona’s feat of leading Argentina to glory in 1986.
For all his heroics at club level with Barcelona, Messi — who left his homeland for the Catalan capital aged just 13 — is still looked upon unfavourably when set against Maradona by many in Argentina, who compare their records at international level. After the 2014 defeat to Germany in Brazil, there was more heartbreak on penalties in the final of the 2015 Copa America and the 2016 Copa America Centenario, both times at the hands of Chile.
Messi missed his spot-kick in the 2016 final, prompting an uncharacteristic spur-of-the-moment decision to retire from international football.
“The fact we’ve lost three finals led to some complicated moments with the Argentine press due to the differences in seeing what it means to reach a final,” Messi told Barcelona-based newspaper Sport. “It is not easy and has to be appreciated. It’s true that winning them is important, but getting there is not easy.”