00:0310 years ago, Lionel Messi left the stadium believing his Argentina story was over.
00:09Tonight, the same stadium handed him another painful defeat.
00:12In 2016, Messi had lost his fourth major final with Argentina.
00:16He missed in the Copa America shootout against Chile and announced his retirement from international football.
00:27At 29, Messi already had 55 goals in 113 appearances.
00:32He was Argentina's highest scorer but still had no senior international trophy.
00:37Argentina refused to let that be his ending.
00:40Fans gathered in the rain in Buenares, asking him to return.
00:44A 15-year-old Enzo Fernandes wrote an open letter begging his hero to stay.
00:48And Argentina's new coach, Edgardo Bauza, flew to Barcelona to speak with him.
00:53Messi's retirement lasted just 47 days.
00:56A year later, his hat-trick against Ecuador rescued Argentina's 2018 World Cup qualification.
01:02But the real turnaround was still to come.
01:04Copa American champion in 2021.
01:06Finalissimo winner in 2022.
01:09World champion in 2022.
01:10Copa America champion again in 2024.
01:13Four international trophies all after he had decided to quit.
01:16Before this final, Messi had reached 206 appearances and won 25 goals for Argentina.
01:23That means 93 more matches and 70 more goals after his brief retirement.
01:27He also entered the final with 8 goals and 4 assists at this World Cup.
01:32The most goal contribution by a player in a single edition in 56 years.
01:37The 2026 final was also his record-extending 34th World Cup appearance.
01:42Even though Argentina could not defeat its title, this defeat was nothing like 2016.
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