5 Argentina attackers who suffered due to Lionel Messi
In the scintillating career of a certain Lionel Messi, the singular flaw has been the maestro's lack of success with Argentina on the international stage. Without a doubt, the star has dominated Europe's club scene, winning every eligible trophy with Barcelona and picking up a record number of Ballon d'Or awards.
However, Messi's achievements with his national side have been minute in comparison to his exploits at club level.
Remarkably, the star joined the national team in 2005, but only just won his first major trophy with Argentina when he lifted the Copa America trophy this year. It ended a trophy drought with La Albiceleste that lasted well over a decade.
But pundits and critics continue to ask: Why hasn't Lionel Messi been able to replicate his success at club level for the national team?
Lionel Messi has scored his 80th goal for Argentina 🎯 https://t.co/ng2cTwLLFh
In Messi's defense, Argentina have reached three Copa America finals, as well as a World Cup final, and Messi has also won the Olympic gold medal. However, the lack of trophies at international level will remain a stain on the diminutive magician's career.
Some pundits have argued that Messi's consistent presence in the squad has forced the team to play around him, making him the essential cog in the wheel. With his most recent goal against Uruguay, the star has now scored 80 goals in 156 games for Argentina.
Leo Messi and the Argentina national team finally got to celebrate their Copa America trophy in front of their fans in Buenos Aires 💙 https://t.co/6xMkvc0ruv
Undoubtedly, some players have struggled to reach the limelight under Argentina's banner, partly due to Messi's major influence in the squad. Some might argue that they just weren't good enough to compete with the star player, but others have explained that these players never got the opportunity to impress.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five such players who have suffered due to Messi's presence in the national team:
#5 Mauro Icardi | Paris Saint-Germain
Back in 2013, Mauro Icardi was called up to the international squad for the first time in his career. Scintillating seasons with Sampdoria and Inter Milan saw the star join the Argentine national team, but he ended up playing just once that year. Although he continued to play well for Inter, he wasn't called up again until 2017.
His presence in the team in 2017 and 2018 was scarce, with the star playing just seven games in total. While he was named in preliminary squads, he never got picked for the matchday squads. Despite being one of Inter Milan's key players for six seasons, Icardi never really featured for the Argentina side.
#4 Paulo Dybala | Juventus
Since Juventus signed Paulo Dybala in 2015, the star has gone from strength to strength, winning multiple trophies with the Bianconeri and becoming a key part of the side. Although his goalscoring diminished during the three seasons Cristiano Ronaldo spent at the club, he's back to his scoring ways with six goals in ten appearances this season.
For the national team, however, it has been a different case for the star. Under Messi's massive shadow alongside injury problems, Dybala has rarely played consistently for Argentina. In the last two seasons, the star has played just once for his home country, and sadly, he has only two international goals to his name.