Lionel Messi’s Argentina career produced countless magical moments, many of them coming when his country needed him most. There were spectacular goals, decisive knockout performances and the major trophies that had remained out of reach for much of his international career. Some moments stand out for what Messi did with the ball at his feet. Others are remembered because of what they meant to Argentina and the fans. His relationship with the national team changed from one surrounded by disappointment to one defined by success over the decade.
5 Greatest Lionel Messi Moments for Argentina
From the stunning late winner against Iran at the 2014 World Cup to the long-awaited Copa America triumph and his unforgettable night in the 2022 World Cup final. Here are some of the greatest Lionel Messi Moments for Argentina.
1. The 2014 World Cup goal against Iran
Argentina were minutes away from being drawn by Iran when Messi produced the moment they needed. With the game still goal-less in extra time, he received the ball outside the box, moved inside from the right and curled a left-footed effort beyond goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi. The goal gave Argentina a 1-0 victory and kept their perfect start to the tournament intact. It was also a reminder of Messi’s ability to decide a game even when a team was struggling to create clear chances.
Argentina would eventually reach the final in Brazil, losing to Germany after extra time, but Messi’s individual brilliance remained one of the defining features of their campaign. He scored four goals in the group stage and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
2. The 2021 Copa America final
Despite Messi’s individual achievements, one criticism that followed him throughout much of his Argentina career was that he had never won a major senior international trophy. That changed at the Maracana in 2021. Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final, with Angel Di Maria scoring the only goal of the match. When the final whistle arrived, he finally had a senior international title with Argentina. The celebrations that followed were just as significant. Messi was surrounded by teammates who had shared years of disappointment with him, while the scenes in Rio de Janeiro reflected how much the victory meant to both player and supporters. After several painful defeats in finals, Argentina had finally won a major trophy with Messi at the centre of the team.
3. The 2022 World Cup semi-final against Croatia
Messi’s semi-final against Croatia was one of the clearest examples of him taking control of a World Cup knockout match. He opened the scoring from the penalty spot before producing the moment of the night for Argentina’s second goal. Receiving the ball on the right, Messi went up against Josko Gvardiol, one of Croatia’s standout defenders, and somehow created space with a burst of acceleration and close control before reaching the byline and cutting the ball back for Julian Alvarez who got the job done. Messi later played a role in Argentina’s third goal as well, completing a 3-0 victory. At the age of 35, Messi was carrying Argentina towards another World Cup final.
4. The 2022 World Cup final
If one match represents Messi’s Argentina career, it is the 2022 World Cup final. Against France, Messi scored twice in a dramatic 3-3 draw, including Argentina’s first goal from the penalty spot and their third during extra time. He then converted his penalty in the shootout as Argentina won 4-2. The victory completed the one achievement that had remained missing from his career. Messi had already won the Copa America, broken Argentina’s scoring record and established himself as the country’s most-capped player, but the World Cup remained the ultimate prize.
At his fifth World Cup, he finally lifted the trophy that had eluded him for so long. His performance also produced a remarkable statistical achievement: Messi became the first player to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final of the same World Cup.
5. The 2026 World Cup hat-trick against Algeria
During the 2026 World Cup match against Algeria, Messi scored three times in Argentina’s opening match of the tournament, producing a hat-trick that once again put his name among the headlines at the World Cup. The performance was another chapter in his career and it was his first World Cup hat-trick in his career. Messi’s Argentina story had changed dramatically over the years, but his ability to produce moments that defined matches had remained constant. This performance came in his record sixth World Cup appearance and took his tournament tally to 16 goals, further adding to his remarkable record on the biggest stage.
