A decade ago, Lionel Messi left the pitch at MetLife Stadium in tears, announcing his retirement from international football.
Ten years later, he returned to the same venue chasing a second consecutive World Cup title. Instead, he endured another painful defeat with Argentina—and at the age of 39, it may well have been his last such moment with the national team.
Argentina’s struggles with possession and discipline left Messi with little involvement, as he rarely touched the ball and was unable to produce his trademark magic.
When the final whistle blew, Argentina had lost 1-0 to Spain in front of 80,663 fans at MetLife Stadium, effectively bringing an end to Messi’s World Cup career.