Lionel Messi's post-World Cup final tears illustrate the belated but beautiful bond Argentina's icon discovered with his homeland

It's always worth remembering that things could have panned out very differently for Messi, and indeed the rest of the football world; in an alternate timeline, his international career ended a decade ago.

Argentina were determined to make the ex-Barcelona attacker the focal point of the team after he emerged as a genuine superstar in the late noughties, but he was initially unable to deliver on the biggest stage. Messi would fail to find the back of the net at both the 2010 World Cup in South Africa or the 2011 Copa America, as the Albiceleste disappointingly bowed out in the quarter-finals on both occasions.

That foreshadowed the darkest period in La Pulga's international career, as he would go on to fall agonisingly short in three consecutive finals after taking the captaincy at the age of 24 - a losing streak that would prompt him to announce his international retirement.

First came the extra-time defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final, followed by the shock loss to Chile in the showpiece of the 2015 Copa America. More heartbreak at the hands of the same opponent on the same stage the following year seemingly pushed Messi over the edge.

However, Messi's international retirement in 2016 would last less than two months, as he dramatically U-turned on the decision, saying at the time: "We need to fix many things in Argentinian football, but I prefer to do this from inside and not criticise from outside."

He helped to guide his country to the 2018 World Cup, and while more heartache would await there, Scaloni's appointment - initially as caretaker - in the wake of the last-16 exit would prove to be seismic.

Indeed, Messi's change of heart and the arrival of Scaloni in the dugout are undoubtedly two of the most significant moments in Argentina's modern footballing history.

It would be a slow burn, with the manager a deeply unpopular appointment in some quarters while coming under intense scrutiny following the failure to claim the 2019 Copa America, but over the course of the ensuing few years, Scaloni would turn the tide of opinion and transform an underachieving side into an unstoppable force that was greater than the sum of its parts, in large part due to the huge bonus of having Messi in attack.

Scaloni's own words pretty much sum up his successful approach: "Football is about heart, gut instinct and never giving up."

A 36-game winning streak would incorporate the end of Argentina's 28-year wait for a major trophy at the 2021 Copa America, as Scaloni's men defeated fierce rivals Brazil in the final. Messi, of course, was at his best, hauling his country to victory by playing a part in 75 percent of their goals at the tournament, aged 34.

Messi and Argentina carried that momentum into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, famously prevailing over France on penalties to lift the trophy for the first time in 36 years, despite an inauspicious start to their quest for glory where they were beaten by Saudi Arabia. La Pulga was inevitably instrumental in their success, racking up 10 goal involvements and netting twice in the final to crystallise his status as the greatest footballer of all time.

This was one hell of a redemption arc, as Messi went from retirement to world champion and 'completing football' in the space of six years. That remarkable turnaround solidified what had become an unbreakable bond with the national team and their fans around the world.

However, although Argentina would continue their trophy-winning streak by retaining the Copa America in 2024, there was always a sense that they might struggle to defend their World Cup crown because the squad had not really evolved over the last three-and-a-half years, with many ageing members of the 2022 group still knocking about, and pre-tournament performances had not been particularly promising.

Messi also repeatedly threw his involvement in the 2026 edition into doubt amid concerns over his own physical durability in the face of the demands of a title defence across the vast expanse of three North American countries. As recently as March, Scaloni had admitted that the Inter Miami star was still undecided on his participation after a series of niggling injuries in recent years.

Of course, the iconic forward was ultimately included in the Argentine squad for the tournament, giving it his absolute all for his country for what is almost certain to be the final time on an unlikely run to yet another final, scoring eight times and laying on four more as he played his part in an all-timer of a Golden Boot race.

Messi hauled his side over the line time and time again as the holders repeatedly flirted with a premature exit. In the final, however, his exploits alone were not enough.

Messi's World Cup and footballing legacy were secured long before Sunday's match in New Jersey, and that's just as well, because his team-mates made it a memorable encounter for all the wrong reasons. The Albiceleste's brutally agricultural approach meant they were inarguably the villains of the piece, and that was ultimately their downfall.

Amid various other flashpoints, Enzo Fernandez deservedly collected a second yellow card in stoppage time at the end of the 90 minutes after flying into Pau Cubarsi, reducing the holders to 10 men for the duration of extra-time, and they were unable to hold on. Ferran Torres' 106th-minute strike ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides and, on this occasion, there was no final, superhuman act from Messi to save the day.

Their talisman, for once, was a mere bystander - peripheral throughout as his colleagues focused on committing foul after foul after foul, rather than trying to get on the ball and monopolise possession in the manner that had created space for him so successfully throughout the tournament.

It spoke volumes that Messi, of all people, formed part of an attack that didn't muster a single shot in normal time - making unwanted history as the first team to fail to do so in a World Cup final since records began in 1966. His and Argentina's first attempt on goal didn't arrive until the 117th minute.

If it is any consolation whatsoever to the great man himself, when we look back on this game we will not remember it as Messi's last or for his ineffective performance, but rather as the day when Spain's footballing philosophy prevailed over Argentina's overaggressive tactics on the biggest stage.

In the belly of the New York/New Jersey Stadium after the game, the waiting press would have been anticipating a potentially seismic announcement from Messi in the wake of an agonising defeat in a World Cup final in what many believed would be his swansong, but that interview never came, and nor did an update from anyone else.

Instead, the 39-year-old reportedly led his team-mates silently through the mixed zone and past the expectant journalists gathered there two hours after full-time, neglecting their media duties and instead leaving their captain's international future shrouded in uncertainty. Scaloni, though, did stop, explaining to reporters: "The lads weren't in the mood to talk at this moment, and that's fair."

The Argentina squad left New York in the early hours of Monday and was due to land back in Buenos Aires later the same afternoon. More clarity on Messi's continuation with the national team will surely follow, with his initial social media statement not offering any clues.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, a typically emotional Scaloni was predictably non-committal on what lies ahead for Argentina's star man and captain.

"He's 39 years old, it's unbelievable," the manager said. "There's nothing new to discover from my side. It was crystal clear he was going to play until he decided not to. All of our people support him and I hope everyone is proud of what he's achieved because he's the best player to ever stand on a pitch."

However, it seems defeat in the final will mark the end of an era, with Scaloni tearfully insisting it would be "complicated" for him and his staff to continue in their roles.

"It's been a pleasure to be here; I never even dreamed of it. If the president wants me to stay until December, I'll be here, but after that, I see it as complicated," he said. "To continue, we need a lot of things. We need to reset. We need to form a group like this one, which is difficult to form again. It hurts my soul. I'm sorry."

As we await some form of update on Messi's next move, the player, Argentina and lovers of the beautiful game across the planet will just be glad that this isn't the match that will define his glittering, glorious career. Instead, it will be reflected upon as one where his devoted compatriots finally let him down by seeing red.

Whatever the future may hold for him on the international stage and beyond, Messi's legacy was already well and truly secure courtesy of his exploits at club level and, of course, the momentous 2022 World Cup triumph - and nothing can change that now.

Only Messi will know if the tears that streamed down his face after the silver medal was placed around his neck were the result of the realisation that his beautiful story with the Albiceleste is finally over, or simply the pain of the defeat. But it should give him some solace that he had already 'completed football', and another success on the sport's biggest stage would have been nothing more than a significant bonus.