At thirty-nine, Lionel Messi delivered a remarkable World Cup. He scored eight goals and carried the Argentine national team on his shoulders all the way to the final, only to lose 1-0 to Spain.
Bar that last match, in which he barely shone until the closing minutes, Messi dazzled football fans once again. He did it not only with the style of play everyone has grown accustomed to over the years, but with his continued ability to steer the Argentina ship at this age while playing in a less competitive league such as the American one.
Everyone feared that final against Spain in New Jersey would be the "last dance" for the Argentine star on the international stage with his country. Those fears were almost confirmed by his teammate Leandro Paredes, who settled the debate, according to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo": "I think he has made his decision, and that it really was his last match with the national team. I hope that is not the case, and I hope he can carry on playing, but the decision ultimately rests with him. Anything that makes him happy will certainly make us happy, so we hope for that, we hope he continues."
In terms of trophies, Messi has given a great deal to the Argentine national team, particularly during the era of coach Lionel Scaloni. That spell brought two Copa America titles, the World Cup and the Finalissima, and earned him the utmost respect from his teammates. Paredes said, after recently featuring for his club Boca Juniors: "It is painful, because I think we kept saying it throughout the World Cup, we did not want that last match to come, we did not want it at all."