Messi's achievement with the Argentine national team

Messi is undoubtedly quite underrated when looking at his career with his national team. In this post I will show why it is not as bad as some think, and why, in fact, it was/is good.

National team

Messi holds numerous records with the albiceleste, such as being the top scorer, top assist, most goals in a calendar year in the national team (along with Batistuta), among others. I will put the specifics later in the World Cup and the Copa América.

World Cup

Messi holds multiple records in the tournament, such as being the only player to score in his teens, twenties, and thirties, the only player to assist in 4 different World Cups, and also being the player with the most MoTM in a single tournament, with 4. He also holds records in the albiceleste specifically, such as the youngest player to be captain, the most MoTM in the tournament in total, etc. Speaking of each World Cup individually, he was the fourth-best young player in 2006, the sixth-best player in 2010, the best player of the tournament in 2014 (World Cup Golden Ball), and despite not being in the top 10 in In 2018, WhoScored put him in the top 5. To be in the top 6 in 3/4 World Cups is a very difficult feat, and only top players on the international scene can achieve it, someone like Messi.

Copa América

He is the highest assister in the history of the competition, with 13, and also the player with the most MoTM in the history of the tournament, with 10. He was the best player in the 2007 edition, and he was the best player in 2015, receiving the Balloon of Gold of the Glass America. He was also in 2016, but according to SofaScore and did not receive the Ballon d'Or. He was also the second-best player in the 2015 and 2016 finals, creating a great opportunity in 2015. Having been the best player twice And having been in the Ideal Team 4/5 times, what he has done in the tournament is quite remarkable, and it denotes his quality as well.

Conclusion

With what has already been said, Messi is quite underrated with the Argentine team and deserves much more respect.