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爱彼表推出皇家橡树系列里奥内尔·梅西限量版腕表
摘要：“我很荣幸能够参与皇家橡树系列里奥内尔·梅西限量版腕表（RoyalOakLeoMessiLimitedEdition）的设计，也很荣幸能以我的名字为腕表冠名。”激情、精准、严谨是里奥内尔·梅西和爱彼共有的价值理念。
热情、专注、坚韧。无论哪个领域，要想出众过人，就需要掌握一切与此相关的技能，从而进行准确而高效的解读，成为驾驭局势的灵魂人物。在足球场上，里奥内尔&梅西(Lionel Messi)做到了。
梅西的职业生涯无疑是令人艳羡的，而这些成就离不开他坚持不懈的努力以及过人智慧。拥有139年悠久历史的瑞士高级钟表品牌爱彼（）亦是如此，作为复杂工艺的大师，在岁月凝沥中以坚定、热情与高超的技艺成就着每一款腕表的卓越与不凡，书写着高级腕表领域的传奇荣耀。
&驾驭常规，铸就创新&(To break the rules, you must first master them)。分享着共同价值观的爱彼（Audemars Piguet）与里奥内尔&梅西(Lionel Messi)在双方彼此欣赏的基础上，于2010年建立长期合作关系，梅西正式成为爱彼品牌大使，相互见证着彼此的辉煌时刻。
爱彼皇家橡树系列里奥内尔&梅西限量版腕表
&我很荣幸能够参与皇家橡树系列里奥内尔&梅西限量版腕表（Royal Oak Leo Messi Limited Edition）的设计，也很荣幸能以我的名字为腕表冠名。&激情、精准、严谨是里奥内尔&梅西和爱彼共有的价值理念。显然，全球最优秀的球员与布拉苏丝（Le Brassus）爱彼之间的合作正在进一步加深。2012年，为向这位当代的球坛传奇及杰出运动员致敬，爱彼决定打破爱彼皇家橡树系列（Royal Oak）根深蒂固的元素特质，推出这一限量发行1000枚的爱彼皇家橡树里奥梅西限量款腕表（Royal Oak Leo Messi Limited Edition）。
爱彼皇家橡树系列里奥内尔&梅西限量版腕表（Royal Oak Leo Messi Limited Edition）优雅而简洁的表盘打破传统的&Tapisserie&格纹图案重新设计表盘，并采用一种制表业中极少使用的材质&&钽。41毫米的直径为其赋予了时尚、大气而又不显张扬的特质。同时，这一限量表款摒弃传统的精钢表链，转而采用皮表带，并附送一条更富运动气息的橡胶表带。
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金投奢侈品网From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 March 2018.
? National team caps and goals correct as of 11 November 2017
Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini (Spanish pronunciation:  ( ); born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional
who plays as a
for Spanish club
and the . Often considered the best player in the world and regarded by many as the greatest of all time, Messi has a record-tying five
awards, four of which he won consecutively, and a record-tying four . He has spent
with Barcelona, where he has won 30 trophies, including eight
titles, four
titles, and five . Both a prolific goalscorer and a creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most official goals scored in
(73), a calendar year (91),
(25), as well as those for most assists made in La Liga (146) and the
(11). He has scored over
for club and country.
Born and raised in central Argentina, Messi was diagnosed with a
as a child. At age 13, he relocated to Spain to join Barcelona, who agreed to pay for his medical treatment. After a fast progression through Barcelona's youth academy, Messi made his competitive debut aged 17 in October 2004. Despite being injury-prone during his early career, he established himself as an integral player for the club within the next three years, finishing 2007 as a finalist for both the
award, a feat he repeated the following year. His first uninterrupted campaign came in the 2008–09 season, during which he helped Barcelona achieve the first
in Spanish football. At 22 years old, Messi won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award by record voting margins.
Three successful seasons followed, with Messi winning three consecutive FIFA Ballon d'Ors, including an unprecedented fourth. His personal best campaign statistically to date was the 2011–12 season, in which he set the La Liga and European records for most goals scored in a single season, while establishing himself as
in official competitions in March 2012. The following two seasons, Messi finished twice second for the Ballon d'Or behind , his perceived . Messi regained his best form during the 2014–15 campaign, breaking the all-time goalscoring records in both La Liga and the
in November 2014, and led Barcelona to a historic second treble.
An Argentine international, Messi is his country's . At youth level, he won the , finishing the tournament with both the , and an
at the . His style of play as a diminutive, left-footed
drew comparisons with compatriot , who declared the teenager his . After making his senior debut in August 2005, Messi became the youngest Argentine to play and score in a
during the , and reached the final of the , where he was named young player of the tournament. As the squad's
from August 2011, he led Argentina to three consecutive finals: the , for which he won the , and the
and . After announcing his international retirement in 2016, he reversed his decision and led his country to qualification for the .
Five-years-old Lionel Messi with Club Abanderado Grandoli of Rosario, where he started to play football
Lionel Andrés Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in , the third of four children of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. On his father's side, he is of Italian and
descent, the great-grandson of immigrants from the northcentral Adriatic
region of Italy and , and on his mother's side, he has primarily Italian ancestry. Growing up in a tight-knit, football-loving family, "Leo" developed a passion for the sport from an early age, playing constantly with his older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and his cousins,
and , both of whom became professional footballers. At the age of four he joined local club Grandoli, where he was coached by his father, though his earliest influence as a player came from his maternal grandmother, Celia, who accompanied him to training and matches. He was greatly affected by her death, shortly before h since then, as a devout Catholic, he has celebrated his goals by looking up and pointing to the sky in tribute of his grandmother.
"When you saw him you would think: this kid can't play ball. He's a dwarf, he's too fragile, too small. But immediately you'd realise that he was born different, that he was a phenomenon and that he was going to be something impressive."
— youth coach
shares his first impression of the 12-year-old Messi.
A lifelong supporter of , Messi joined the Rosario club when he was six years old. During the six years he played for Newell's, he scored almost 500 goals as a member of "The Machine of '87", the near-unbeatable youth side named for the year of their birth, and regularly entertained crowds by performing ball tricks during half-time of the first team's home games. However, his future as a professional player was threatened when, at age 10, he was diagnosed with a . As his father's health insurance covered only two years of , which cost at least 1,000 per month, Newell's agreed to contribute, but later reneged on their promise. He was scouted by Buenos Aires club , whose , , he idolised, but they were also unable to pay for his treatment due to the country's .
Messi enrolled at Barcelona's youth academy, , at age 13
As the Messi family had relatives in Catalonia, they sought to arrange a trial with
in September 2000. First team director
immediately wanted to sign him, but the board of at the time it was highly unusual for European clubs to sign foreign players of such a young age. On 14 December, an ultimatum was issued for Barcelona to prove their commitment, and Rexach, with no other paper at hand, offered a contract on a paper napkin. In February 2001, the family relocated to Barcelona, where they moved into an apartment near the club's stadium, . During his first year in Spain, Messi rarely played with the Infantiles due to a transfer conflict with Newell's; as a foreigner, he could only be fielded in friendlies and the Catalan league. Without football, he struggled to int already reserved by nature, he was so quiet that his teammates initially believed he was mute. At home, he suffered from homesickness after his mother moved back to Rosario with his brothers and little sister, María Sol, while he stayed in Barcelona with his father.
After a year at Barcelona's youth academy, , Messi was finally enrolled in the
(RFEF) in February 2002. Now playing in all competitions, he befriended his teammates, among whom were
and . After completing his growth hormone treatment aged 14, Messi became an integral part of the "Baby Dream Team", Barcelona's greatest-ever youth side. During his first full season (2002–03), he was top scorer with 36 goals in 30 games for the Cadetes A, who won an unprecedented treble of the league and both the Spanish and Catalan cups. The Copa Catalunya final, a 4–1 victory over , became known in club lore as the partido de la máscara, the final of the mask. A week after suffering a broken cheekbone during a league match, Messi was allowed to start the game on the condition that he wear soon hindered by the mask, he took it off and scored two goals in 10 minutes before his substitution. At the close of the season, he received an offer to join , his first from a foreign club, but while Fàbregas and Piqué soon left for England, he chose to remain in Barcelona.
"It seemed as if he had been playing with us all his life."
—Barcelona's then assistant coach
on Messi's first-team debut.
During the , his fourth with Barcelona, Messi rapidly progressed through the club's ranks, debuting for a record five teams in a single campaign. After being named player of the tournament in four international pre-season competitions with the Juveniles B, he played only one official match with the team before being promoted to the , where he scored 18 goals in 11 league games. Messi was then one of several youth players called up to strengthen a depleted first team during the international break. French Winger
explained how a teenage Leo caught the eye in a training session with 's first team: "He destroyed us all... They were kicking him all over the place to avoid being ridiculed by this kid, he just got up and kept on playing. He would dribble past four players and score a goal. Even the team's starting centre-backs were nervous. He was an alien." At 16 years, four months, and 23 days old, he made his first team debut when he came on in the 75th minute during a friendly against 's
on 16 November 2003. His performance, creating two chances and a shot on goal, impressed the technical staff, and he subsequently began training daily with the club's reserve side, , as well as weekly with the first team. After his first training session with the senior squad, Bar?a's new star player, , told his teammates that he believed the 16-year-old would become an even better player than himself. Ronaldinho soon befriended Messi, whom he called "little brother", which greatly eased his transition into the first team.
Messi, at age 18, playing against
To gain further match experience, Messi joined
in addition to the Juveniles A, playing his first game for the third team on 29 November. He helped save them from the relegation zone of the , scoring five goals in ten games, including a hat-trick in eight minutes during a Copa del Rey match while man-marked by 's . His progress was reflected in his first professional contract, signed on 4 February 2004, which lasted until 2012 and contained an initial
of EUR30 million. A month later, on 6 March, he made his debut for Barcelona B in the , and his buyout clause automatically increased to EUR80 million. He played five games with the B team that season but did not score. Physically he was weaker than his opponents, who were often much older and taller, and in training he worked on increasing his muscle mass and overall strength in order to be able to shake off defenders. Towards the end of the season, he returned to both youth teams, helping the Juveniles B win the league. He finished the campaign having scored for four of his five teams with a total of 36 goals in all official competitions.
During the , Messi was a guaranteed starter for the B team, playing 17 games throughout the campaign and scoring on six occasions. Since his debut the previous November, he had not been called up to the first team again, but in October 2004, the senior players asked manager Frank Rijkaard to promote him. Since Ronaldinho already played on the left wing, Rijkaard moved Messi from his usual position onto the right flank (though initially against the player's wishes), allowing him to cut into the centre of the pitch and shoot with his dominant left foot. Messi made his league debut during the next match on 16 October, against Espanyol, coming on in the 82nd minute. At 17 years, three months, and 22 days old, he was at the time the youngest player to represent Barcelona in an official competition. As a substitute player, he played only 77 minutes in nine matches for the first team that season, including his debut in the
against . He scored his first senior goal on 1 May 2005, against , from an assist by Ronaldinho, becoming – at that time – the youngest-ever scorer for the club. Barcelona, in their second season under Rijkaard,
for the first time in six years.
"In my entire life I have never seen a player of such quality and personality at such a young age, particularly wearing the 'heavy' shirt of one of the world's great clubs."
— praises the 18-year-old Messi following the
in August 2005.
On 24 June 2005, his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract as a senior team player. It made him a Barcelona player until 2010, two years less than his previous contract, but his buyout clause increased to EUR150 million. His breakthrough came two months later, on 24 August, during the , Barcelona's pre-season competition. A starter for the first time, he gave a well-received performance against 's , receiving an ovation from the Camp Nou. While Capello requested to loan Messi, a bid to buy him came from , who were willing to pay his EUR150 million buyout clause and triple his wages. According to then-president , it was the only time the club faced a real risk of losing Messi, but he ultimately decided to stay. On 16 September, his contract was updated for the second time in three months and extended to 2014.
Messi during a training session with Bar?a in August 2006
Due to issues regarding his legal status in the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Messi missed the start of , but on 26 September, he acquired Spanish citizenship and became eligible to play. Wearing the number 19 shirt, he gradually established himself as the first-choice right winger, forming an attacking trio with Ronaldinho and striker . He was in the starting line-up in major matches like his first
against rivals
on 19 November, as well as Barcelona's away victory over
in the , where he played his best match to that point. After he had scored 8 goals in 25 games, including his first in the Champions League, his season ended prematurely during the return leg against Chelsea on 7 March 2006, when he suffered a torn hamstring. Messi worked to regain fitness in time for the Champions League , but on 17 May, the day of the final, he was eventually ruled out. He was so disappointed that he did not celebrate his team's victory over Arsenal in Paris, something he later came to regret.
While Barcelona began a gradual decline, the 19-year-old Messi established himself as one of the best players in the world during the . Already an idol to the , the club's supporters, he scored 17 goals in 36 games across all competitions. However, he continued to be plagu a metatarsal fracture sustained on 12 November 2006 kept him out of action for three months. He recovered in time for the
of the Champions League against , but was effectively ma Barcelona, the reigning champions, were out of the competition. , his goal contribution increased towards t 11 of his 14 goals came from the last 13 games. On 10 March 2007, he scored his first hat-trick in a Clásico, the first player to do so in 12 years, equalising after each goal by Real Madrid to end the match in a 3–3 draw in . His growing importance to the club was reflected in a new contract, signed that month, which greatly increased his wages.
Messi makes his
run against
in April 2007
Already frequently compared to compatriot , Messi proved their similarity when he nearly replicated Maradona's two most famous goals in the span of three weeks. During a
semi-final against
on 18 April, he scored a goal remarkably similar to Maradona's goal in the quarter-finals of the , known as the . Messi collected the ball on the right side near the halfway line, ran 60 metres (200 ft), and beat five defenders before scoring with an angled finish, just as
had done. A league match against Espanyol on 9 June saw him score by launching himself at the ball and guiding it past the goalkeeper with his hand in similar fashion to Maradona's
in the same World Cup match. As Messi continued his individual rise, B the team failed to reach the Copa del Rey final after Messi was rested during the second leg against Getafe and lost the league to Real Madrid on head-to-head results.
After Ronaldinho lost form, Messi became Bar?a's new star player at only 20 years old, receiving the nickname "Messiah" from the Spanish media. His efforts in 2007 also earned h journalists voted him the
for the , behind
and runner-up , while international managers and national team captains voted him
award, again behind Kaká. Although he managed to score 16 goals during the , the second half of his season was again marred by injuries after he suffered a torn hamstring on 15 December. He returned to score twice in their away victory against
in the last 16 round of the Champions League, becoming the competition's top scorer at that point with six goals, but reinjured himself during the return leg on 4 March 2008. Rijkaard had fielded him despite warning from the medical staff, leading captain
to criticise the Spanish media for pressuring Messi to play every match. Barcelona finished the season without trophies,
by the eventual champions, , and .
After two unsuccessful seasons, Barcelona were in need of an overhaul, leading to the departure of Rijkaard and Ronaldinho. Upon the latter's departure, Messi was given the
shirt. He signed a new contract in July 2008 on an annual salary of EUR7.8 million, becoming the club's highest-paid player. Ahead of the new season, a major concern remained his frequent muscular injuries, which had left him side-lined for a total of eight months between 2006 and 2008. To combat the problem, the club implemented new training, nutrition, and lifestyle regimens, and assigned him a personal physiotherapist, who would travel with him during call-ups for the . As a result, Messi remained virtually injury-free during the next four years, allowing him to reach his full potential. Despite his injuries early in the year, his performances in 2008 saw him again voted runner-up for the
award, both times behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
In his first uninterrupted campaign, the , he scored 38 goals in 51 games, contributing alongside Eto'o and winger
to a total of 100 goals in all competitions, a record at the time for the club.
Messi in the
in May 2009
During his first season under Barcelona's new manager, former captain , Messi played mainly on the right wing, like he had under Rijkaard, though this time as a false winger with the freedom to cut inside and roam the centre. During the Clásico on 2 May 2009, however, he played for the first time as a , positioned as a centre-forward but dropping deep into midfield to link up with
and . He assisted with a
his side's first goal and scored twice to end the match in an emphatic 6–2 victory, the team's greatest-ever score at Real Madrid's . Returning to the wing, he played his first final since breaking into the first team on 13 May, scoring once and assisting a second goal as Barcelona defeated
to win the Copa del Rey. With 23 league goals from Messi that season, Barcelona became
three days later and achieved its fifth .
As the season's
with nine goals, the youngest in the tournament's history, Messi scored two goals and assisted two more to ensure a 4–0 quarter-final victory over . He returned as a false nine during the
on 27 May in Rome against Manchester United. Barcelona were crowned champions of Europe by winning the match 2–0, the second goal coming from a Messi header over goalkeeper . Barcelona thus achieved the first
in the history of Spanish football. This success was reflected in a new contract, signed on 18 September, which committed Messi to the club through 2016 with a new buyout clause of EUR250 million, while his salary increased to EUR12 million. His team's prosperity continued into the second half of 2009, as Barcelona became the first club to achieve the sextuple, winning six top-tier trophies in a single year. After victories in the
in August, Barcelona won the
on 19 December, with Messi scoring the winning 2–1 goal with his chest. At 22 years old, Messi won the
award, both times by the greatest voting margin in each trophy's history.
"Messi is the best player in the world by some distance. He's like a PlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make."
— commends Messi for his four–goal display against
in April 2010.
Unsatisfied with his position on the right wing, Messi resumed playing as a false nine in early 2010, beginning with a Champions League last 16-round match against . After a first-leg draw, Barcelona won the second leg 4–0 with two goals and an assist from Messi. At that point, he effectively became the tactical focal point of Guardiola's team, and his goalscoring rate increased. Messi scored a total of 47 goals in all competitions , equaling 's club record from the 1996–97 campaign. He notably scored all of his side's four goals in the Champions League quarter-final against 's Arsenal on 6 April while becoming Barcelona's all-time top scorer in the competition. Although Barcelona were eliminated in the Champions League
by the eventual champions, Inter Milan, Messi finished the season as top scorer (with 8 goals) for the second consecutive year. As the league's top scorer with 34 goals (again tying Ronaldo's record), he helped Barcelona win a
trophy with only a single defeat.
Messi (centre) and his teammates celebrate winning the
in December 2011
Messi secured Barcelona's first trophy of the , the Supercopa de Espa?a, by scoring a hat-trick in his side's second-leg
victory over Sevilla, after a first-leg defeat. Assuming a playmaking role, he was again instrumental in a Clásico on 29 November 2010, the first with
in charge of Real Madrid, as Barcelona defeated their rivals 5–0. Messi helped the team achieve 16 consecutive league victories, a record in Spanish football, concluding with another hat-trick against
on 5 February 2011. His club performances in 2010
the inaugural , an amalgamation of the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, though his win was met with some criticism due to his lack of success with Argentina at the . Under the award's old format, he would have placed just outside the top three, owing his win to the votes from the international coaches and captains.
Towards the end of the season, Barcelona played four Clásicos in the span of 18 days. A league match on 16 April ended in a draw after a penalty from Messi. After Barcelona
four days later, Messi scored both goals in his side's 2–0 win in the first leg of the Champions League , the second of which – a dribble past three players – was acclaimed as one of the best ever in the competition. Although he did not score, he was again important in the second-leg draw that sent Barcelona through to the Champions League final, where they faced Manchester United in a repeat of the final two years earlier. As the competition's top scorer for the third consecutive year, with 12 goals, Messi gave a man-of-the-match performance at
on 28 May, scoring the match-winning goal of Bar?a's . Barcelona won a . In addition to his 31 goals, Messi was also the league's top assist provider with 18. He finished
with 53 goals and 24 assists in all competitions, becoming Barcelona's all-time single-season top scorer and the first player in Spanish football to reach the 50-goal benchmark.
As Messi developed into a combination of a number 8 (a creator), a 9 (scorer), and a 10 (assistant), he scored an unprecedented 73 goals and provided 29 assists in all club competitions during the , producing a hat-trick or more on 10 occasions. He began the campaign by helping Barcelona win both the Spanish and European Super C in the Supercopa de Espa?a, he scored three times to achieve a
over Real Madrid, overtaking
as the competition's all-time top scorer with eight goals. At the close of the year, on 18 December, he scored twice in the FIFA Club World Cup final, a
over , earning the
as the best player of the tournament, as he had done two years previously. For his efforts in 2011,
the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming only the fourth player in history to win the Ballon d'Or three times, after , , and . Additionally, he won the inaugural , a revival of the old-style Ballon d'Or. By then, Messi was already widely considered one of the best footballers in history, alongside players like Diego Maradona and .
"I feel sorry for those who want to compete for Messi's throne – it's impossible, this kid is unique."
— after Messi became Barcelona's all-time top scorer at age 24 in March 2012
As Messi maintained his goalscoring form into the second half of the season, the year 2012 saw him break several longstanding records. On 7 March, two weeks after scoring four goals in a league fixture against , he scored
in a Champions League last 16-round match against , an unprecedented achievement in the history of the competition. In addition to being the joint top assist provider with five assists, this feat made him top scorer with 14 goals, tying 's record from the 1962–63 season, as well as becoming only the second player after
to be top scorer in four campaigns. Two weeks later, on 20 March, Messi became the top goalscorer in Barcelona's history at 24 years old, overtaking the 57-year record of 's 232 goals with a hat-trick against .
Messi points to the sky during his five-goal display against
in March 2012
Despite Messi's individual form, Barcelona's four-year cycle of success under Guardiola – one of the greatest eras in the club's history – drew to an end. Although Barcelona won the Copa del Rey against Athletic Bilbao on 25 May, its 14th title of that period, the team had lost the league to Real Madrid and was eliminated in the Champions League semi-finals by the eventual champions, Chelsea, with Messi sending a crucial second-leg penalty kick against the crossbar. In Bar?a's last home league match on 5 May, against Espanyol, Messi scored all four goals before approaching the bench to embrace Guardiola, who had announced his resignation as manager. He finished
as league top scorer in Spain and Europe for a second time, with 50 goals, an all-time La Liga record, while his
surpassed Gerd Müller's 67 goals in the 1972–73
season, making him the single-season top scorer in the history of European club football.
Under manager , who had first coached him aged 14 at La Masia, Messi helped the club achieve its best-ever start to a La Liga season during the second half of 2012, amassing 55 points by the competition's midway point, a record in Spanish football. A double scored on 9 December against
saw Messi break two longstanding records: he surpassed César Rodríguez's record of 190 league goals, becoming Barcelona's all-time top scorer in La Liga, and Gerd Müller's record of most goals scored in a calendar year, overtaking his 85 goals scored in 1972 for Bayern Munich and . Messi sent Müller a number 10 Barcelona shirt, signed "with respect and admiration", after breaking his 40-year record. At the close of the year, Messi had scored a record 91 goals in all competitions for Barcelona and Argentina. Although
did not acknowledge the achievement, citing verifiability issues, he received the
title for most goals scored in a calendar year. As the odds-on favourite, Messi
the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming the only player in history to win the Ballon d'Or four times.
Barcelona had virtually secured their
by the start of 2013, eventually equalling Real Madrid's 100-point record of the previous season. However, their performances deteriorated in the second half of the , concurrently with Vilanova's absence due to ill health. After losing successive Clásicos, including the Copa del Rey , they were nearly eliminated in the first knockout round of the Champions League by , but a revival of form in the second leg led to a 4–0 comeback, with two goals and an assist from Messi. Now in his ninth senior season with Barcelona, Messi signed a new contract on 7 February, committing himself to the club through 2018, while his fixed wage rose to EUR13 million. He wore the captain's armband for the first time a month later, on 17 March, in a l by then, he had become the team's tactical focal point to a degree that was arguably rivalled only by former Barcelona players ,
and . Since his evolution into a false nine three years earlier, his input into the team's attack had inc from 24% in their treble-winning campaign, his goal contribution rose to more than 40% that season.
"In Leo we are talking about the best player in the world and when things are not going well you have to use him. Even if he is half lame, his presence on the pitch is enough to lift us and our play in general."
—Defender
explains Barcelona's reliance on an unfit Messi against
in April 2013.
After four largely injury-free seasons, the muscular injuries that had previously plagued Messi reoccurred. After he suffered a hamstring strain on 2 April, during the first quarter-final against , his appearances became sporadic. In the second leg against PSG, with an underperforming Barcelona down a goal, Messi came off the bench in the second half and within nine minutes helped create their game-tying goal, which allowed them to progress to the semi-finals. Still unfit, he proved ineffective during the first leg against Bayern Munich and was unable to play at all during the second, as Barcelona were
by the eventual champions. These matches gave credence to the notion of Messidependencia, Barcelona's perceived tactical and psychological dependence on their star player.
award for the 2012–13 season
Messi continued to struggle with injury throughout 2013, eventually parting ways with his long-time personal physiotherapist. Further damage to his hamstring sustained on 12 May ended his goalscoring streak of 21 consecutive league games, he had netted 33 goals during his run, including a four-goal display against , while becoming the first player to score consecutively against all 19 opposition teams in La Liga. With 60 goals in all competitions, including 46 goals in La Liga, he finished the campaign as league top scorer in Spain and Europe for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player in history to win the
three times. Following an irregular start to the
under manager , formerly of his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys, Messi suffered his fifth injury of 2013 when he tore his hamstring on 10 November, leaving him sidelined for two months. Despite his injuries, he was voted
for the FIFA Ballon d'Or, relinquishing the award after a four-year monopoly to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi celebrates his second goal against
in September 2014
During the second half of the 2013–14 season, doubts persisted over Messi's form, leading to a perception among the culés that he was reserving himself for the . Statistically, his contribution of goals, shots, and passes had dropped significantly compared to previous seasons. He still managed to break two longstanding records in a span of seven days: a hat-trick on 16 March against Osasuna saw him overtake 's 369 goals to become Barcelona's top goalscorer in all competitions including friendlies, while another hat-trick against Real Madrid on 23 March made him the
in El Clásico, ahead of the 18 goals scored by former Real Madrid player . Messi finished the campaign with his worst output in five seasons, though he still managed to score 41 goals in all competitions. For the first time in five years, Barcelona ended the season wi they were
by Real Madrid and
in the last game to Atlético Madrid, causing Messi to be booed by sections of fans at the Camp Nou. After prolonged speculation over his future with the club, Messi signed a new contract on 19 May 2014, only a year after his las his salary increased to EUR20 million, or EUR36 million before taxes, the highest wage ever in the sport.
"Messi is an alien that dedicates himself to playing with humans."
— captain
ahead of their meeting in the
in June 2015
Under new manager and former captain , Messi experienced a largely injury-free start to the , allowing him to break three more longstanding records towards the end of the year. A hat-trick scored against Sevilla on 22 November made him the , as he surpassed the 59-year record of 251 league goals held by . Three days later, he scored another hat-trick against , overtaking Raúl's 71 goals to become top scorer in the history of the Champions League. A third hat-trick, scored against city rivals Espanyol on 7 December, allowed him to surpass César Rodríguez as the all-time top scorer in the
with 12 goals. Messi again
in the FIFA Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo, largely owing to his second-place achievement with Argentina at the World Cup.
At the start of 2015, Barcelona were perceived to be headed for another disappointing end to the season, with renewed speculation in the media that Messi was leaving the club. A turning point came on 11 January during a 3–1 victory over Atlético Madrid, the first time Bar?a's attacking trident of Messi,
and , dubbed "MSN", each scored in a match, marking the beginning of a highly successful run. After five years of playing in the centre of the pitch, Messi had returned to his old position on the right wing late the previous year, by his own suggestion according to Suárez, their striker. From there, he regained his best – arguably his best-ever – form, while Suárez and Neymar ended the team's attacking dependency on their star player. With 58 goals from Messi, the trio scored a total of 122 goals in all competitions that season, a record in Spanish football.
Messi battles
for the ball during the
in June 2015
Towards the end of the campaign, Messi scored in a 1–0 away win over Atlético Madrid on 17 May, securing the . Among his 43 league goals that season was a hat-trick scored in 11 minutes against Rayo Vallecano on 8 March, the fastest
it was his 32nd hat-trick overall for Barcelona, allowing him to overtake Telmo Zarra as the player with the most hat-tricks ever in Spanish football. Additionally, as the season's top assist provider with 18 assists, he surpassed
as the player with the most assists in La L he made his record 106th assist in a fixture against
on 15 February, in which he also scored a hat-trick. Messi then scored twice as Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–1 in the
on 30 May, achieving the sixth double in their history. His opening goal was hailed as one of the gr he collected the ball near the halfway line and beat four opposing players, before feinting the goalkeeper to score in a tight space by the near post. The goal was later named one of the three final nominees for the .
In the , Messi scored twice and assisted on another in their 3–0 semi-final victory over Bayern Munich, now under the stewardship of Guardiola. His second goal, which came only three minutes after his first, saw him chip the ball over goalkeeper
after his dribble past
had made the defende it went , becoming the year's most tweeted about sporting moment, and was named the best goal of the season by . Despite a second-leg loss, Barcelona progressed to the final on 6 June in , where they
to win their , becoming the first team in history to do so. Although Messi did not score, he participated in each of his side's goals, particularly the second as he forced a parried save from goalkeeper
from which Suárez scored the match-winning goal on the rebound. In addition to being the top assist provider with six assists, Messi finished the competition as the joint top scorer with ten goals, which earned him the distinction of being the first player ever to achieve the top scoring mark in five Champions League seasons. For his efforts during the season, he received the
for a second time.
Messi dribbling past Sevilla's
Messi opened the
by scoring twice from
in Barcelona's
(after extra time) over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup. A subsequent
against Athletic Bilbao in the Supercopa de Espa?a ended their expressed hopes of a second sextuple, with Messi scoring his side's only goal. On 16 September, he became the youngest player to make 100 appearances in the
in a 1–1 away draw to . On 26 September, Messi sustained an injury in Barcelona' tests later confirmed that he suffered a tear in the medial collateral ligament of his left knee, ruling him out for six to eight weeks. He finally returned to the pitch on 21 November, making a substitute appearance in Barcelona's 4–0 away win over rivals Real Madrid in El Clásico. Messi capped off the year by winning the
on 20 December, collecting his fifth club trophy of 2015 as Barcelona went on to defeat
3–0 in . Messi also won the tournament's Silver Ball, despite missing the semi-final. On 30 December, Messi scored on his 500th appearance for Barcelona, in a 4–0 home win over Real Betis.
On 6 January 2016, recording Barcelona's first goal of the new year, Messi scored two goals and assisted the other two in a 4–1 derby win over Espanyol at the Camp Nou, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the . Five days later, Messi won the
for a record fifth time in his career. On 3 February, he scored a hat-trick in Barcelona's 7–0 win against Valenciain the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final at the Camp Nou, also scoring his 500th career goal in the process, including youth competitions. With teammate Luis Suárez scoring the other four goals in the same match, this was the first time that two players had scored at least three goals each at Camp Nou, and the first time since
in 1956. The feat had only occurred three times before in the club's history, all at . The next league match at Camp Nou, a 6–1 win against , Messi assisted Suárez from a penalty kick. Some people saw it as "a touch of genius", while others criticised it as being disrespectful to the opponent. The Celta players, however, never complained and their coach defended the penalty, stating, "Barca's forwards are very respectful." The penalty routine has been compared to that of Bar?a icon Johan Cruyff in 1982, who was battling lung cancer, leading many fans to indicate that the penalty was a tribute to him. Cruyff himself was "very happy" with the play, insisting "it was legal and entertaining".
On 17 February, Messi reached his 300th league goal in a 1–3 away win against . A few days later, he scored both goals in Barcelona's 0–2 win against Arsenal at the , in the first leg of the
round of 16, with the second goal being Barcelona's 10,000th in official competitions. On 17 April, Messi ended a five-match scoring drought with his 500th senior career goal for club and country in Barcelona's 2–1 home loss to Valencia. Messi finished the 2015–16 season by setting up both goals in Barcelona's 2–0
win over Sevilla in the , at the , on 22 May 2016, as the club celebrated winning the
for the second consecutive season. In total, Messi scored 41 goals and provided 23 assists, as Barcelona's attacking trio managed a Spanish record of 131 goals throughout the season, breaking the record they had set the previous season.
"[Messi] is indispensable, but the rest of us are dispensable. – No, the club is bigger than any manager, than any player... except Leo. That's the reality, and you have to accept it."
—In an interview with 's official magazine, Messi's compatriot
points out that Barcelona has continued to enjoy success despite the departures of its key figures.
Messi opened the
by lifting the
as Barcelona's captain in the absence of the injured Andrés I he set-up 's goal in a 2–0 away win over Sevilla in the first leg on 14 August, and subsequently scored and assisted in a 3–0 win in the return leg on 17 August. Three days later, he scored two goals and provided an assist to lead Barcelona to a 6–2 victory against Real Betis in the opening game of the
season. On 13 September 2016, Messi scored his first hat-trick of the season in the opening game of the
campaign against
in a 7–0 this was also Messi's sixth hat-trick in the Champions League, the most by any player. A week later, Messi sustained a
injury in a 1–1 draw against Atlético Madrid and was ruled out with injury for three weeks. He marked his return with a goal, scoring three minutes after coming off the bench in a 4–0 home win over , on 16 October. Three days after this, he netted his thirty-seventh club hat-trick as Barcelona defeated
4–0. On 1 November, Messi scored his 54th Champions League group stage goal in Barcelona's 3–1 away return fixture loss to Manchester City, surpassing the previous record of 53 goals held by Raúl. On 12 November, Messi placed second in the
behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who claimed the award for the fourth time. He finished the year with 51 goals, making him Europe's top scorer, one ahead of .
After placing second in the 2016 Ballon d'Or, on 9 January 2017 Messi also finished in second place – behind Cristiano Ronaldo once again – in . On 11 January, Messi scored from a free-kick in Barcelona's 3–1 victory against Athletic Bilbao in the second leg of the round of 16 of the , which enabled Barcelona to advance to the quarter-final with his 26th goal from a free-kick for Barcelona in all competitions, he equalled the club's all-time record, which had previously been set by . In his next league match, on 14 January, Messi scored in a 5–0 win against Las P with this goal, he equalled Raúl's record for the most number of teams scored against in La Liga (35). On 4 February, Messi scored his 27th free-kick for Barcelona in a 3–0 home win over Athletic Bilbao in the league, overtaking Koeman as the club's all-time top-scorer from free-kicks. On 23 April, Messi scored twice in a 3–2 away win over Real Madrid. His game-winning goal in stoppage time was his 500th for Barcelona. On 27 May, Messi scored a goal and set up another for
in the , helping Barcelona to a 3–1 victory over , and was named Man of the Match. In total, Messi finished the 2016–17 season with 54 goals and 16 assists, while his 37 goals in La Liga saw him claim both the Pichichi and European Golden Boot Awards for the fourth time in his career.
Messi opened the
by converting a
in Barcelona's
to Real Madrid in Supercopa de Espa?a. Thereby, Messi also extended his El Clásico goalscoring record with the goal being his 24th official and 25th overall. On 27 August, Messi scored his first two goals of the
season in a 2–0 away win over Alavés. Messi's first goal marked his 350th in the fixture, becoming the first player ever to achieve this milestone. On 9 September, Messi scored his first
of the 2017–18 league campaign, against
in , thus helping to secure a 5–0 home victory for Blaugrana over local rivals. Messi netted twice against , on 12 September, as Bar?a defeated the last season's Italian champions Juventus 3–0 at home in the . On 19 September, Messi found the net four times in a 6–1 trashing of
at the Camp Nou in La Liga. Three weeks later, on 1 October, Messi surpassed his former teammate
to become the third highest appearance maker in the club's history, as he helped Bar?a defeat
3–0 by assisting ' opener and later adding two himself in his 594th offici the league game was played behind closed doors at the Camp Nou due to violence in
relating to an .
On 18 October, in his 122nd European club appearance, Messi scored his 97th UEFA Champions League goal, and his 100th in all UEFA club competitions, in a 3–1 he also set up 's goal during the same match. Messi became only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo to reach this century milestone, but accomplished it in 21 fewer appearances than the Portuguese counterpart. On 23 October, Messi finished as the runner-up behind Cristiano Ronaldo in
award for the second consecutive year. On 4 November, he made his 600th appearance for Barcelona in a 2–1 home win over Sevilla in La Liga. Following the reception of his fourth , Messi signed a new deal with Barcelona on 25 November, keeping him with the club through the 2020–21 season. His
was set at EUR700 million. On 7 January 2018, Messi made his 400th La Liga appearance with Barcelona in a 3–0 home win over Levante, marking the occasion with his 144th league assist and 365th league goal for the club, the latter of which saw him equal Gerd Müller's record for the most league goals scored for the same club in one of Europe's top five divisions. A week later, he broke the record, scoring his 366th La Liga goal from a free kick in a 4–2 away win against . On 4 March, he scored his 600th senior career goal from a free kick in a 1–0 home win over Atlético Madrid, in La Liga.
As a dual Argentine-Spanish national, Messi was eligible to play for the national team of both countries. Selectors for Spain's Under-17 squad began pursuing him in 2003 after Barcelona's director of football, , alerted the Royal Spanish Football Federation to their young player. Messi declined the offer, having aspired to represent La Albiceleste since childhood. To further prevent Spain from taking him, the
organised two under-20 friendlies in June 2004, against Paraguay and Uruguay, with the purpose of finalising his status as an Argentina player in . Five days after his 17th birthday, on 29 June, he made his debut for his country against Paraguay, scoring once and providing two assists in their 8–0 victory. He was subsequently included in the squad for the , held in Colombia in February 2005. As he lacked the stamina of his teammates, the result of his former growth hormone deficiency, he was used as a substitute in six of the nine games, proving more effective when coming on in the second half. After being named man of the match against Venezuela, he scored the winning 2–1 goal in the crucial last match against Brazil, thereby securing their third-place qualification for the .
Aware of his physical limitations, Messi employed a personal trainer to increase his muscle mass, returning to the squad in improved condition in time for the World Youth Championship, hosted by the Netherlands in June 2005. After he was left out of the starting line-up in their first match against the United States, a 1–0 defeat, the squad's senior players asked manager Francisco Ferraro to let Messi start, as they considered him their best player. After helping the team defeat Egypt and Germany to progress past the group stage, Messi proved decisive in the knockout phase as he scored their equaliser against Colombia, provided a goal and an assist against title favourites Spain, and scored their opening goal against reigning champions Brazil. Ahead of the final, he was awarded the
as the best player of the tournament. He scored two penalties in their 2–1 victory over Nigeria, clinching Argentina's fifth championship and finishing the tournament as top scorer with 6 goals. His performances drew comparisons with compatriot , who had led Argentina to the .
In recognition of his achievements with the under-20 side, senior manager
gave Messi his first call-up for a friendly against
on 17 August 2005. Aged 18, Messi made his senior debut for Argentina when he came on in the 63rd minute, only to be sent off after two minutes for a perceived foul against , who h Messi had struck the defender with his arm while trying to shake him off, which the referee interpreted as an intentional elbowing, a contentious decision. Messi was reportedly found weeping in the dressing room after his sending-off. He returned to the team on 3 September in their World Cup qualifier defeat to , which he had declared his "re-debut" ahead of the match. Messi started his first game in the next qualifying match against , in which he was able to win a crucial penalty that secured their victory. After the match, Pékerman described him as "a jewel". He subsequently made regular appearances for the team ahead of Argentina's participation in the , scoring his first goal in a friendly against
on 1 March 2006. A hamstring injury sustained a week later jeopardised his presence in the World Cup, but he was nevertheless selected for Pékerman's squad and regained fitness in time for the start of the tournament.
During the World Cup in Germany, Messi witnessed their opening match victory against the
from the substitutes' bench. In the next match, against , he became the youngest player to represent Argentina at a
when he came on as a substitute in the 74th minute. He assisted their fourth strike within minutes and scored the final goal in their 6–0 victory, making him the youngest scorer in the tournament and the sixth-youngest goalscorer in the history of the World Cup. As their progression to the knockout phase was secured, several starters were rested during the last group match. Messi consequently started the game against the , a 0–0 draw, as they won their group on goal differential. In the round of 16 match against , played on his 19th birthday, Messi came on in the 84th minute, with the score tied at 1–1. He appeared to score a goal, but it was contentiously ruled , with the team needing a late goal in extra time to proceed. He did not play in the quarter-final against Germany, during which Argentina were eliminated 4–2 in a penalty shootout. Back home, Pékerman's decision to leave him on the bench against Germany led to widespread criticism from those who believed Messi could have changed the outcome of the match in Argentina's favour.
Messi evades Brazil's
in the semi-final of the
As Messi evolved into one of the best players in the world, he secured a place in 's starting line-up, as part of a team considered favourites to win the , held in Venezuela. He set up the game-winning goal of their 4–1 victory over the
in the opening match, before winning a penalty that led to the game-tying first strike of their 4–2 win in the next match against . As they had secured their place in the knockout phase, Messi started the next game on the bench, coming on in the last 25 minutes with the score at 0–0 to help his team defeat Paraguay by assisting their only goal. At the quarter-final stage, where the group winners faced Peru, he scored the second goal of a 4–0 victory that saw them through to the semi-final, during which he chipped the ball over Mexico's goalkeeper to ensure another 3–0 win. In a surprise defeat, Argentina lost the final 3–0 to a
squad which lacked several of the nation's best players. Their unexpected loss was followed by much criticism in Argentina, though Messi was mostly exempt due to his young age and secondary status to star player . He was named the best young player of the tournament by .
Ahead of the , Barcelona legally barred Messi from representing Argentina at the tournament as it coincided with their Champions League qualifying matches. After interference from newly appointed Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, who had won the , Messi was permitted to join 's under-23 squad in Beijing. During the first match, he scored the opening goal and assisted another in their 2–1 victory over the . Following a 1–0 win in the next group match against , ensuring their quarter-final qualification, Messi was rested during the game against Serbia, while his side won the match to finish first in their group. Against the Netherlands, he again scored the first goal and assisted a second strike to help his team to a 2–1 win in extra time. After a 3–0 semi-final victory over , Messi assisted the only goal in the final as Argentina defeated
to claim . Along with Riquelme, Messi was singled out by FIFA as the stand-out player from the tournament's best team.
From late 2008, the national team experienced a three-year period marked by poor performances. Under manager Diego Maradona, who had led Argentina to World Cup victory as a player, the team struggled to qualify for the , securing their place in the tournament only after defeating
1–0 in their last qualifying match. Maradona was criticised for his strategic decisions as he played Messi out of position, positioned too deep for him to be able to contribute to the attack to his full ability. In eight qualifying matches under Maradona's stewardship, Messi scored only one goal, netting the opening goal in the first such match, a 4–0 victory over . During that game, played on 28 March 2009, he wore Argentina's number 10 shirt for the first time, following the international retirement of Riquelme. Overall, Messi scored four goals in 18 appearances during the qualifying process. Ahead of the tournament, Maradona visited Messi in Barcelona to reques Messi then outlined a 4–3–1–2 formation with himself playing behind the two strikers, a playmaking position known as the enganche in Argentine football, which had been his preferred position since childhood.
Messi in action during the opening match against Bolivia in the
Despite their poor qualifying campaign, Argentina were considered title contenders at the World Cup in South Africa. At the start of the tournament, the new format Messi managed at least four attempts on goal during their opening match but was repeatedly denied by 's goalkeeper, resulting in a 1–0 win. During the next match, against , he excelled in his playmaking role, participating in all four goals of his side's 4–1 victory. As their place in the knockout phase was guaranteed, most of the starters were rested during the last group match, but Messi reportedly refused to be benched. He wore the captain's armband for the first time in their 2–0 as the focal point of their play, he helped create their second goal to see Argentina finish as group winners. In the round of 16, they defeated Mexico 3–1, with Messi assisting their first goal, a controversial strike that stood despite being offside.
Argentina's unstructured defence had proved a liability throughout the World Cup and finally led to their elimination in the quarter-final against Germany, at the same stage of the tournament and by the same opponent as four years earlier. Their 4–0 loss was their worst margin of defeat since 1974. FIFA subsequently identified Messi as one of the tournament's 10 best players, citing his "outstanding" pace and creativity and "spectacular and efficient" dribbling, shooting and passing. Back home, however, Messi was the subject of far harsher judgement. As the perceived best player in the world, he had been expected to lead an average team to the title, as Maradona arguably , but he had failed to replicate his performances at Barcelona with the national team, leading to the accusation that he cared less about his country than his club.
Maradona was replaced by Sergio Batista, who had orchestrated Argentina's Olympic victory. Batista publicly stated that he intended to build the team around Messi, employing him as a
within a 4–3–3 system, as used to much success by Barcelona. Although Messi scored a record 53 goals during the 2010–11 club season, he had not scored for Argentina in an official match since March 2009. Despite the tactical change, his goal drought continued during the , hosted by Argentina. Their first two matches, against Bolivia and Colombia, ended in draws, with Messi underperforming by his standards. Media and fans noted that he did not combine well with striker , who enjoyed far greater popularity among the A Messi was consequently booed by his own team's supporters for the first time in his career. During the crucial next match, with Tevez on the bench, he gave a well-received performance, assisting two goals in their 3–0 victory over . After the quarter-final against Uruguay ended in a 1–1 draw following extra time, with Messi having assisted their equaliser, Argentina were eliminated 4–5 in the penalty shootout by the eventual champions.
Messi scored his first international
in February 2012
After Argentina's unsuccessful performance in the Copa América, Batista was replaced by . Upon his appointment in August 2011, Sabella awarded the 24-year-old Messi the captaincy of the squad, in accord with then-captain . Reserved by nature, Messi went on to lead his squad by example as their best player, while Mascherano continued to fulfil the role of the team's on-field leader and motivator. In a further redesign of the team, Sabella dismissed Tevez and brought in players with whom Messi had won the World Youth Championship and Olympic Games. Now playing in a free role in an improving team, Messi finally ended his goal drought by scoring during their first World Cup qualifying match against
on 7 October, his first official goal for Argentina in two-and-a-half years.
Under Sabella, Messi's goalscoring rate d where he had scored only 17 goals in 61 matches under his previous managers, he scored 25 times in 32 appearances during the following three years. He netted a total of 12 goals in 9 games for Argentina in 2012, equalling the record held by , Argentina's all-time top scorer, for the most goals scored in a calendar year for their country. His first hat-trick with the Albicelestes came in a friendly against
on 29 February 2012, followed by two more hat-tricks over the next year-and-a-half in friendlies against Brazil and . Messi then helped the team secure their place in the
with a 5–2 victory over Paraguay on 10 September 2013; in addition to providing an assist, he scored twice from a penalty kick, taking his international tally to 37 goals to become Argentina's second-highest goalscorer behind only Batistuta. Overall, he had scored a total of 10 goals in 14 matches during the qualifying campaign. Concurrently with his bettered performances, his relationship with his compatriots improved, as he gradually began to be perceived more favourably in Argentina.
Ahead of the World Cup in Brazil, doubts persisted over Messi's form, as he finished an unsuccessful and injury-plagued season with Barcelona. At the start of the tournament, however, he gave strong performances, being elected man of the match in their first four matches. In his first World Cup match as captain, he led them to a 2–1 he helped create their early opening goal and scored their second strike after a dribble past three players, his first World Cup goal since his debut in the tournament eight years earlier. During the second match against , he scored an injury-time goal from 23 metres out to end the game in a 1–0 win, securing their qualification for the knockout phase. He scored twice in the last group match, a 3–2 victory over Nigeria, his second goal from a free kick, as they finished first in their group. Messi assisted a late goal in extra time to ensure a 1–0 win against Switzerland in the round of 16, before starting the play that led to their match-winning 1–0 goal in the quarter-final against , helping Argentina progress to the semi-final of the World Cup for the first time . Following a 0–0 draw in extra time, they eliminated the Netherlands 4–2 in a penalty shootout to reach the final.
Messi battles Germany's
for the ball during the
Billed as Messi versus Germany, the world's best player against the best team, the
was a repeat of the
featuring Diego Maradona. Within the first half-hour, Messi had started the play that led to a goal, but it was ruled offside. He missed several opportunities to open the scoring throughout the match, in particular at the start of the second half when his breakaway effort went wide of the far post. Substitute
finally scored in the 113th minute, followed in the last minute of extra time by a free kick that Messi sent over the net, as Germany won the match 1–0 to claim the World Cup. At the conclusion of the final, Messi was awarded the
as the best player of the tournament. In addition to being the joint third-highest goalscorer, with four goals and an assist, he created the most chances, completed the most dribbling runs, made the most deliveries into the penalty area and produced the most throughballs in the competition. However, his selection drew criticism due to his lack of goals i FIFA President
expressed his surprise, while Maradona suggested that Messi had undeservedly been chosen for marketing purposes.
Another final appearance, the third of Messi's senior international career, followed in the , held in Chile. Under the stewardship of former Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino, Argentina entered the tournament as title contenders due to their second-place achievement at the World Cup. During the opening match against Paraguay, they were ahead two goals by half-time but lost their lead to end the match in a 2–2 Messi had scored from a penalty kick, netting his only goal in the tournament. Following a 1–0 win against defending champions Uruguay, Messi earned his
for his country in the final group match, a 1–0 win over , becoming only the fifth Argentine to achieve this milestone. In his 100 appearances, he had scored a total of 46 goals for Argentina, 22 of which came in official competitive matches.
As Messi evolved from the team's symbolic captain into a genuine leader, he led Argentina to the knockout stage as group winners. In the quarter-final, they created numerous chances, including a rebound header by Messi, but were repeatedly denied by Colombia's goalkeeper, and ultimately ended the match scoreless, leading to a 5–4 penalty shootout in their favour. At the semi-final stage, Messi excelled as playmaker as he provided three assists and helped create three more goals in his side's 6–1 victory over Paraguay, receiving applause from the initially hostile crowd. Argentina started the
as the odds-on title favourites, but were defeated by Chile 4–1 in a penalty shootout after an 0–0 extra-time draw. Faced with aggression from opposing players, including taking a boot to the midriff, Messi played below his standards, though he was the only Argentine to successfully convert his penalty. At the close of the tournament, he was reportedly selected to receive the
award but rejected the honour. As Argentina continued a trophy drought that began in 1993, the World Cup and Copa América defeats again brought intense criticism for Messi from Argentine media and fans.
Messi's place in Argentina's
squad was initially put in jeopardy when he sustained a back injury in a 1–0 friendly win over
in a pre-Copa América warm-up match on 27 May 2016. It was later reported that he had suffered a deep bruise in his lumbar region, but that he would remain in Martino's squad for the tournament, although he was later left on the bench in Argentina's 2–1 opening win over defending champions Chile on 6 June due to concerns regarding his fitness. Although Messi was declared match-fit for his nation's second group match against
on 10 June, Martino left him on
he replaced
in the 61st minute and subsequently scored a hat-trick in 19 minutes, also starting the play which led to 's goal, as the match ended in a 5–0 victory, sealing Argentina's place in the quarter-final he was elected man of the match for his performance.
On 18 June 2016, in the quarter-final of the Copa América against Venezuela, Messi produced another man of the match performance, assisting two goals and scoring another in a 4–1 victory, which enabled him to equal Gabriel Batistuta's national record of 54 goals in official international matches. This record was broken three days later when Messi scored in a 4–0 win in the semi-final of t}