in direction of the top from the season, Barcelona played four Clásicos in the span of 18 days. A league match on sixteen April resulted in a attract after a penalty from Messi. just after Barcelona shed the Copa del Rey last 4 times later on, Messi scored both equally objectives in his side's two–0 gain in the 1st leg on the Champions League semi-finals in Madrid, the next of which – a slaloming dribble past 3 genuine gamers – was acclaimed as among the finest ever in the Levels of competition.[82] Though he didn't score, he was once more essential in the 2nd-leg attract that despatched Barcelona by towards the Champions League last,[eighty three][84] where by they confronted Manchester United in a repeat of the ultimate two many years before.
I admire you a great deal, Leo Messi." – Pelé congratulates Messi just after he overtook his document in scoring probably the most targets for a club.[282]
In the third-put match towards Chile on 6 July, Messi assisted Agüero's opening goal from a totally free kick in an eventual 2–one get, to help you Argentina win the bronze medal; even so, he was sent off coupled with Gary Medel during the 37th moment of Participate in, soon after becoming involved with an altercation Together with the Chilean defender.[492] subsequent the match, Messi refused to gather his medal, and implied in a very article-match job interview that his reviews pursuing the semi-last brought about his sending off.[493] Messi afterwards issued an apology for his opinions, but was fined $one,five hundred and was handed read more a a person-match ban by CONMEBOL, which dominated him out of Argentina's up coming environment Cup qualifier.
publish-match the Argentina mentor Jorge Sampaoli spoke of the lack of high-quality during the staff encompassing Messi, indicating "we fairly just couldn't pass to him to aid him produce the circumstances he is utilized to. We labored to give him the ball nevertheless the opponent also worked really hard to forestall him from obtaining the ball. We dropped that battle".[472] Croatia captain and midfielder Luka Modrić also stated article match, "Messi is an incredible player but he are not able to do every thing by yourself."[473]
right now, The one thing I give thought to is getting to the Copa The us effectively and with the ability to compete in it,” Messi said with the 2024 Match. “Then time will tell if I am [at the planet Cup] or not. I’m likely to be at an age (39) that Generally doesn’t make it possible for me to Perform in the World Cup.”
French winger Ludovic Giuly defined how Messi caught the attention inside a instruction session with Frank Rijkaard's initial staff: "He ruined us all... They had been kicking him in every single place to stop being ridiculed by this kid, he just got up and stored on playing. He would dribble past 4 players and rating a aim. Even the group's commencing centre-backs had been nervous. He was an alien."[5]
within the 2014 environment Cup, Messi placed on a stunning Screen, scoring 4 plans and Virtually one-handedly propelling an offense-deficient Argentina workforce from the group stage and in to the knockout rounds, wherever Argentina then Highly developed to the earth Cup remaining for The very first time in 24 many years. Argentina misplaced that contest one–0 to Germany, but Messi Even so won the Golden Ball award since the Match’s most effective player. in the course of the 2016 Copa América Centenario Match, he netted his 55th Global purpose to interrupt Gabriel Batistuta’s Argentine scoring report.
The natural way left-footed, brief, and specific in command of the ball, Messi was a keen pass distributor and will quickly thread his way by way of packed defenses. In 2005 he was granted Spanish citizenship, an honour greeted with mixed emotions with the fiercely Catalan supporters of Barcelona. the following 12 months Messi and Barcelona received the Champions League (the eu club championship) title.
Off the sphere, Messi was amongst the largest athletic stars on earth. In combination with earning a soccer salary that was often, with Ronaldo’s, one of several two biggest athletes’ salaries in all Specialist sporting activities, he was an especially effective product pitchman, notably for that sportswear firm Adidas. In 2013 Messi and his father (who taken care of his son’s funds) ended up billed with tax fraud and accused of utilizing overseas shell businesses in order to avoid shelling out €4.
Messi launched into an all-out assault about the report publications in 2012. He turned the primary player to attain 5 goals inside a Champions League match in early March, and a few weeks afterwards, he surpassed Cesar Rodriguez’s club-file 232 goals to be Barcelona’s all-time top scorer.
Messi watches his twenty five-garden curling strike hit the net towards Iran to earn the game for Argentina inside their 2nd group game at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. forward of the whole world Cup in Brazil, doubts persisted around Messi's variety, as he completed an unsuccessful and injury-plagued time with Barcelona. At the beginning with the Event, nevertheless, he gave strong performances, staying elected male on the match within their very first four matches.[421] In his to start with globe Cup match as captain, he led them into a two–one victory about Bosnia and Herzegovina; he helped produce Sead Kolašinac's have intention and scored their next strike following a dribble previous three gamers, his initially globe Cup objective considering that his debut while in the tournament 8 yrs previously.
next the Match, Messi mentioned that he wouldn't participate in Argentina's friendlies in opposition to Guatemala and Colombia in September, and commented that It might be unlikely that he would depict his nation for the remainder on the calendar year. Messi's absence through the countrywide workforce and his continued failure to earn a title with Argentina prompted speculation in the media that Messi could retire from Global soccer Once more.
throughout a repeat from the earlier year's final on 26 June, Argentina Again misplaced to Chile on penalties following a 0–0 deadlock, causing Messi's third consecutive defeat in An important Event ultimate with Argentina, and his fourth All round. following the match, Messi, who had skipped his penalty inside the shootout, announced his retirement from Global soccer.[450] He said, "I tried my toughest. The staff has finished for me, a call manufactured."[451] Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi mentioned following the match, "My generation cannot Evaluate him to Maradona that's for my era, because of what Maradona did for Argentine soccer.
Media and enthusiasts pointed out that he did not combine perfectly with striker Carlos Tevez, who liked bigger attractiveness Amongst the Argentine general public; Messi was consequently booed by his possess team's supporters for The 1st time in his profession. in the course of the very important up coming match, with Tevez on the bench, he gave a nicely-gained general performance, helping two objectives within their 3–0 victory over Costa Rica. After the quarter-closing against Uruguay led to a 1–1 draw adhering to additional time, with Messi obtaining assisted their equaliser, Argentina have been eliminated 4–five within the penalty shootout because of the eventual champions.[415]