5 Things That Have Happened Since Messi Last Scored In An El Clasico
Lionel Messi equalled Di Stefano’s all-time record for most goals scored in an El Clasico when he wrong-footed Sergio Ramos and placed a shot past Diego Lopez in goal at the Santiago Bernabeu in a league game in March 2013. More than a year later, he then scored a hat trick, including two impeccable penalties, at the Bernabeu breaking the record.
Ever since March 2014, Real and Barca have played 5 Clasico games against each other and Barca have scored 9 goals in total. Messi has not, curiously by his standards, scored any of them. Thus, a long waiting period (that will last till the 4th of December this year at least) has gone by without fans seeing him score a goal against arch rivals Real Madrid.
Here’s a list of 5 barely believable events that have happened since 23rd March, 2014.
#5 Argentina lost 3 major international tournament finals, while Messi announced his international retirement
Messi has had 3 wonderful tournaments for Argentina, winning the Player of The Tournament trophy at both the World Cup and at the Copa America in Chile, the latter of which he outright refused to accept.
This refusal was borne out of his frustration from coming so close to a major international trophy with Argentina, yet missing out at the very last hurdle. While fate has been cruel on him in the finals, Argentina as a team, though, were not better than their opponents in any of the 3 finals. The results, more or less, were just according to the balance of play on the day.
Following another heartbreak at the Copa Centenario held in USA this year, in which he missed a penalty for Argentina in the shootout, Messi could take no more, and he announced his retirement from international football. This brings an end to a tumultuous career for Messi, which both began and ended in controversial penalty shootout exits.