Football

Messi’s 10 best moments for Argentina

A 21-year career. 207 matches, 125 goals and 68 assists. A goals-per-match average of 0.93. A World Cup winners’ medal. Two Copa América winners’ medals. Choosing 10 best moments from Lionel Messi’s golden career in an Argentina shirt is extremely difficult. So readers may not agree with this selection of 10 moments. After all, there is no shortage of memorable moments from Messi in an Argentina shirt!

Netherlands, World Cup: 9 December 2022

1 / 10
That day, it became even clearer how devoted Messi was to Argentina. In the quarter-final against the Netherlands, he scored one goal and set up another. The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, with Argentina winning on penalties. That day, Messi answered everything by staring the Dutch straight in the eye.
Reuters

Serbia and Montenegro, World Cup: 16 June 2006

2 / 10
Messi’s first World Cup goal. Twenty years later, at the World Cup held last July, he became the tournament’s record goalscorer. Kylian Mbappé later took the record, but Messi’s magic at the World Cup became eternal. That magic began with his first goal.
Reuters

Mexico, Copa América: 11 July 2007

3 / 10
A golazo! A dazzling left-footed chip from a little distance towards the left corner of the box. The Mexico goalkeeper had come off his line and could do nothing. That stunning goal by Messi remains one of the finest moments of his Argentina career. Many saw it as the moment when the future legend title was stamped onto Messi’s name.
Taken from video

Egypt, World Cup: 7 July 2026

4 / 10
Argentina were staring at elimination in the last 16. Egypt were leading 2-0, with just 12 minutes remaining. Then came the Messi magic! He set up Cristian Romero from a cross to bring his team level. He then scored himself with a superb half-volley. Enzo Fernández later scored the winner, but Messi’s five-minute burst, which brought Argentina back level, created a remarkable moment.
Reuters

United States, Copa América: 21 June 2016

5 / 10
It was the semi-final of the tournament’s centenary edition. In Argentina’s 4-0 win over the United States, Messi scored from a free-kick from 25 yards. Instead of sending the ball over the four-man wall, he struck it around the side. It was one of the finest free-kick goals of Messi’s career.
AFP

France, World Cup: 18 December 2022

6 / 10
Messi’s best match of his career? Probably. In that World Cup final, Messi scored twice in extra time. He also scored in the shootout. After Gonzalo Montiel scored the decisive penalty, many will never forget the sight of Messi falling to his knees on the pitch in celebration of winning the World Cup.
Reuters

Bosnia and Herzegovina, World Cup: 16 June 2014

7 / 10
Messi received the ball near the halfway line. Almost the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina team was in front of him. He surged forward. In the blink of an eye, he beat two defenders and scored an incredible goal. There have been many goals like that in Messi’s career, but he had spent much of that match walking before scoring that day. That is what made the goal special.
Reuters

Brazil, Under-20 Copa América: 6 February 2005

8 / 10
As a child, Messi had two friends named Leandro Benítez and Lucas Scaglia. Before the Brazil match in the group stage of the 2005 Under-20 Copa América, his two friends told Messi that if he scored, he should celebrate by holding three fingers to his chest as a symbol of the three friends. In the 75th minute, Messi scored and did exactly that.
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Mexico, World Cup: 26 November 2022

9 / 10
This match against Mexico was extremely important for Argentina as they sought to reach the next round. Mexico played very well tactically, and Argentina still had not scored after 63 minutes. Then came the Messi magic! In the 64th minute, he scored with a superb shot from 20 yards. Mexico never recovered after that goal. Later, Enzo Fernández scored as well.
Reuters

Ecuador, World Cup qualifier: 10 October 2017

10 / 10
Argentina, winless in four consecutive matches, had to beat Ecuador to keep their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup alive. Messi swept away all the worries with a superb hat-trick and a victory.
AFP
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