There was a period when the weight of Argentina’s expectations became overwhelming for Lionel Messi. In 2016 he briefly retired from international football after a Copa America final loss on penalties to Chile, and criticism mounted as comparisons to Diego Maradona intensified, according to the source text.
Lionel Scaloni, previously Argentina’s Under-20s manager, took over the senior side in the aftermath of Argentina’s round-of-16 loss to France at the World Cup. Under Scaloni, Messi became the veteran focal point around whom the team was built, and he has scored 15 times (and counting) in the two World Cups with Scaloni versus six goals across his first four World Cups, according to the source text.
Messi’s role before Scaloni tended to make him the primary creator rather than a concentrated finisher. As a young player in 2006 he was used sparingly — starting once and appearing as a substitute — and in 2010 under Diego Maradona Argentina generated only 1.01 expected assists per 90 minutes, compared with 1.57 xA/90 in 2026, the source text reports. Messi was responsible for 11.9% of his team’s progressive passes and 15.3% of progressive carries into the final third in earlier tournaments, compared with 10.4% and 12.3% in 2026.
The 2014 World Cup showcased Messi’s capacity to produce moments by himself: he completed 46 successful take-ons, 12 more than second-place Arjen Robben, and created 23 chances, six more than the next best player. Still, Argentina managed only two goals in the knockout stages, and Messi was described by his father as “exhausted” by the final, according to the source text.
The 2018 World Cup proved chaotic for Argentina under Jorge Sampaoli, who frequently changed lineups and formations. Sampaoli switched from a 4-4-2 against Iceland (a 1-1 draw) to a back five against Croatia (a 3-0 loss), and Messi was often tightly marked out of games while attackers struggled to provide complementary movement, the source text states.
