When viewed in isolation, Lionel Messi has had a phenomenally successful international career with Argentina. 

He is after all, both the nation’s most-capped player and the record goalscorer for La Albiceleste. 

Yet such has been the success of Messi at club level — first at Barcelona and more recently Paris Saint-Germain — that his international career does pale a little in comparison. 

Certainly, his Argentina journey has been one of highs and lows. Major honours have been won but there have also been many disappointments and defeats in finals. 

As Messi makes what may well be a final attempt to become a World Cup winner, we take a look back on the highlights of his international career. 

Sent off on debut

As a teenager, Messi was the subject of an international tug-of-war between Argentina and Spain.

He chose his homeland and represented them at the 2005 South American Youth Championship, where he would score the winning goal in the final against Brazil. 

Later that year, Messi made his full international debut in a friendly against Hungary. The 18-year old came on as a second-half substitute but did not make the impact that everyone expected. 

His debut only lasted two minutes as in an effort to shrug off Hungarian defender Vilmos Vanczak, he struck the full-back with his arm and was sent off. 

Copa America losses

Though Messi’s international career got off to an inauspicious start, he soon established himself as a regular member of the Argentina squad. 

He featured at the 2006 World Cup and by the 2007 Copa America was a starter in a team expected to win the tournament. He would be named as the best young player but Argentina lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final. 

Eight years later in 2015, they reached another Copa America final. After a 0-0 draw with Chile, La Albiceleste lost a penalty shootout 4-1 with Messi the only player to convert. 

The tournament was held again the following year to celebrate its centenary. 

Again Argentina met Chile in the final and again the match ended 0-0 and went to penalties. This time Chile won the shootout 4-2, with the talisman missing the opening kick. 

Olympic champion

One year after that first Copa America final defeat, Messi tasted international success at senior level but only after the intervention of his club manager. 

Barcelona did not want him to play for Argentina at the 2008 Olympics as it clashed with their Champions League qualifiers. 

They even took legal action to prevent him joining the squad until the newly-appointed head coach Pep Guardiola persuaded the club to relent. 

Messi starred in a team that went all the way to the final in Beijing, beating Brazil in the semi-finals. 

A 1-0 victory against Nigeria secured gold for Argentina — four years after being crowned champions at the Athens Olympics. 

World Cup defeat

The Copa America is not the only international tournament where Messi has suffered plenty of heartbreak. 

Argentina were knocked out of both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups at the quarter-final stage by Germany. In the latter tournament, a tactically naive team managed by Diego Maradona were thrashed 4-0.

Four years later in Brazil, the pressure was on Messi to repeat the accomplishments of Maradona as a player and lead the nation to World Cup success. 

He scored four goals to help the team through to the 2014 final, where they would once again play Germany. 

For the third World Cup in a row, the Germans beat Argentina. Messi spurned several scoring opportunities and Germany eventually edged it 1-0 in extra-time.

The Golden Ball award for best player was controversially awarded to Messi but provided little consolation. 

Copa success

Messi’s long streak of international heartbreak finally came to an end in 2021 at the Copa America in Brazil. 

Argentina and Colombia were meant to be co-hosts, but the coronavirus crisis saw Brazil step in. On home territory, the Selecao were hot favourites to win the tournament. 

Messi and Argentina had other ideas. This was a much less star-studded side compared to the ones that had tried and failed to win past editions and they were perhaps all the better for it. 

A defensively solid team built around their star man would beat Brazil 1-0 in the final. 

Messi was key to the victory, finishing as top scorer and being named Player of the Tournament.