Messi shines again at 39, but the trophy slips away

Argentina, led by 39-year-old Lionel Messi, fell short in the final of a major international tournament in the United States, even though the forward had been in outstanding form throughout the competition and was widely hailed as one of its standout performers.

Argentina cruised through the group stage and thrashed their opponents in the knockout rounds, but couldn't find a way through in the decisive match — the team failed to score in 120 minutes of play, and even Messi himself was unable to turn the final in Argentina's favor.

Sports commentators point out that this is far from Messi's first heartbreak in a final with the national team: in 2007 he lost the Copa América final to Brazil, in 2014 the World Cup final to Germany, and in both 2015 and 2016 he lost on penalties to Chile in the Copa América final. After the 2016 defeat, Messi even announced he was quitting the national team, telling reporters: "I guess it just wasn't meant to be for me. It's better for me and for a lot of people if I step away."

Six weeks later he was persuaded to return — according to media reports, both the legendary Diego Maradona and Argentina's president personally called him. Since then, as captain, Messi has led the national team to several major triumphs: in 2021, victory over Brazil in the Copa América final at the Maracanã; in 2022, glory at the World Cup in Qatar, scoring twice in the final against France; and in 2024, another Copa América final win, this time over Colombia.

Experts have marveled at the Argentine's form at his age. Pep Guardiola, the renowned coach who worked with Messi at Barcelona, once said that "no one has ever seen football the way he sees it," calling the forward "the most prolific footballing brain the game has ever produced." According to Guardiola, Messi hasn't been the one covering the most ground on the pitch for years now — instead, he makes opponents and teammates chase after him.

At this tournament, Messi reportedly contributed eight goals and four assists before the final — more than at the previous World Cup, where he was named the tournament's best player. In the semifinal against England, his team managed to level the score in the closing minutes, largely thanks to his contribution.

Despite the eventual defeat to Spain in the final, experts agree: Messi's career has already been written into football history as one of the greatest of all time. Observers believe that his ability to cope with the psychological weight of a string of final defeats was precisely what unlocked his later triumphs with the Argentine national team.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz