MetLife Stadium in New Jersey once again crosses the path of Lionel Messi. The same scenario where, a decade ago, he experienced one of the most painful moments of his career with the Argentine team. It will now be the place where he will seek to add another golden chapter to a story that already places him among the greatest footballers of all time.
In 2016, the Argentine captain arrived in the United States loaded with enormous pressure. At club level, he had already conquered practically everything with the FC Barcelona, by accumulating national and international titles, in addition to numerous individual recognitions. However, the outstanding debt was still the Argentine team, with whom they had already lost finals important events that fueled criticism of his leadership and his ability to transfer his successes to the international arena.
The Copa América Centenario seemed like the ideal opportunity to change that history. Argentina advanced to the final with dominant football and impressive numbers in both attack and defense. However, fate once again put Chile in front of them, the same rival that a year before had frustrated the albiceleste dream.
The final, played at MetLife Stadium, was an intense battle. Argentina generated enough chances to win the title, but the Chilean resistance and the goalkeeper’s decisive interventions Claudio Bravo kept the score goalless. Everything ended up being decided from the penalty spot.
In the shootout, Messi took responsibility for taking the first Argentine shot, but the ball went over the crossbar. Later, Chile was more effective and won the championship. The image of the dejected Argentine captain spread around the world and, minutes later, statements came that shook international football.
—«The selection is over for me», Messi then expressed a visibly affected by the fourth final loss with the albiceleste shirt.
Those words seemed to mark the end of an era. However, the feeling of representing his country ended up prevailing. Weeks later, he reconsidered his decision and returned to lead Argentina again in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
As the years went by, the story took a radical turn. What seemed like a career marked by frustrations with the national team became a time of glory. Messi led Argentina to the conquest of the Copa América 2021, repeated the continental success in 2024 and reached the absolute top by lifting the World Cup in Qatar 2022.
Now, the return has an even more special meaning. Far from the criticism that marked a stage in his career, Messi arrives backed by titles, records and the recognition of a fan who considers him a national icon, at the level of the greatest legends of Argentine soccer.
Ten years after that announcement that surprised the world, Lionel Messi returns to the same stage as world champion, two-time American champion and undisputed leader of the Albiceleste. History offers him a new opportunity to write another memorable chapter in the stadium where he once believed everything was over, but where today he can continue to enhance a legend that is now eternal.