Lionel Messi is about to play in his third World Cup final for Argentina, and he could be set to surpass the legacy of the legendary Diego Maradona in the process. He has the opportunity to do what Maradona couldn't: win a second World Cup for La Albiceleste, the national team he has become synonymous with.
However, the magician's international career could so easily have been so different. Not only could he have represented a different country, but he also could never have won a single major honour for his nation.
After losing the World Cup final in 2014 and the ensuing 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals, Messi announced his retirement from international football. However, after quickly realising that this decision was abrupt and unnecessary given how much of his career he had left in front of him, the playmaker opted to return to international action, and what a decision it was.
Messi's Career with Argentina
Lionel MessiBrett Davis / IMAGN Images via Reuters
Returning to the fold for the 2018 World Cup, Messi wasn't able to end his international suffering at the first attempt. Argentina crashed out of the tournament in the last 16, losing an enthralling clash against France 4-3 in Kazan.
A year later, he and his country suffered the same fate at the 2019 Copa America, losing to Brazil in the semi-finals. However, this pain didn't continue for much longer.
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In 2021, Messi delivered the first trophy to Argentina in his international career. He got his hands on the Copa America, playing a key role in the process, scoring four goals and providing five assists throughout the tournament.
A year later, the fairytale story was capped off with the ultimate prize: a World Cup. Messi lifted the iconic trophy in Qatar, carrying his nation through some turbulent early matches to ultimately enact revenge on France for 2018.
Had Messi opted to represent another country he was eligible for, he might have enjoyed success far sooner than he did, although it certainly wouldn't have been as romantic. Spain won three international tournaments in a row between 2008 and 2012, claiming two Euros and a World Cup - a period that coincided with Messi's early days at the highest level.
Lionel Messi's World Cup Record
World Cups played at
Appearances
Goals
Messi moved from Argentina to Spain at the age of 13, and this alone presented him with the opportunity to declare for La Roja. The Spain manager during the European nation's period of dominance, Vicente de Bosque, revealed that the Spanish FA tried to convince Messi to play for them before he declared for Argentina.
"The Federation made every effort to get Messi to play for Spain," Del Bosque told a Spanish radio station.
"Lionel refused because he loves his country. His arrival would have been for the best. Messi is Messi - there is only one. It would have been a dream to coach him."
Messi Only Had Eyes for Argentina
Lionel Messi during Argentina's win over EnglandImage credit: REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
While Messi has always been coy about his Spanish links and Spanish citizenship, he did open up about the possibility of representing the country in a book about his Argentina career, titled Messi, The Patriot.
"I was asked informally if I wanted to play for Spain, but I always said that I wanted to play for my national team because I love Argentina and these are the only colours I want to wear," he said.
“I was always an avid fan of the national team. I watched the games on television because I could never go to the grounds and watch them as a fan."
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Former Barcelona teammate and good friend Cesc Fabregas once chimed in on the discourse, claiming that the attacking midfielder made the right decision, even if he'd have loved to have played alongside him for Spain.
"It would have been phenomenal if Leo had played for Spain," Fabregas said.
"We would have won more titles, but he always felt very Argentine, and I think it was the perfect decision to play for his country."
Spain weren't the only country Messi could have played for. He was also eligible to represent Italy through his great-grandfather, who emanated from the Southern European nation. This family link would have qualified Messi for an Italian passport.
The 39-year-old's great-grandfather left Italy for Argentina in the late 1800s, so it was always unlikely that football's greatest ever player would've turned out for the Azzurri, given how convoluted this connection is.
Unlike with Spain, there were never any talks between the Italian FA and Messi over the player representing Italy.