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Messi's sixth World Cup bid: A career of reinvention
At 38, Lionel Messi is set to become the first player to compete in six World Cups, matching records held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa. But this tournament represents more than just another milestone-it's the latest chapter in a career defined by constant adaptation. While most players decline, Messi has repeatedly transformed his game to stay ahead of the sport's evolution.
The early years: From winger to false nine
Messi's journey began in 2003 as a 16-year-old winger for Barcelona, dazzling in a friendly against José Mourinho's Porto. Ronaldinho, then the world's best player, famously predicted, "He will be the best." Two years later, Messi announced himself on the global stage during the Joan Gamper Trophy, catching the eye of Juventus manager Fabio Capello, who reportedly tried to sign him.
By 2008, under Pep Guardiola, Messi's role shifted. Initially deployed on the right wing, Guardiola moved him centrally for defensive reasons-but the experiment unlocked a new dimension. On May 2, 2009, in a La Liga clash at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu, Guardiola positioned Messi as a "false nine," flanked by Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry. The result? A 6-2 demolition of Madrid. Messi's ability to drop deep, receive the ball, and dictate play left defenders paralyzed.
"Right in the centre of things. The more he touches the ball, the better for the side."
Frank Rijkaard, former Barcelona manager
The tactical revolution: From scorer to playmaker
Between 2011 and 2013, Messi scored 96 goals in 69 La Liga matches, cementing his status as the world's best. But as Barcelona's midfield core of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta aged, Messi's role expanded. No longer just a scorer, he became the team's engine-organizing play, dropping deeper, and racking up assists. In the 2019-20 season, he recorded 22 assists alongside 25 goals in La Liga, a shift an Argentine analyst described as "a goalscorer who became an Iniesta."
His final Barcelona season (2020-21) saw a brief return to form as a pure finisher-30 goals in 35 league games-but his move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 confirmed the transition. For the first time in his club career, he registered more assists (15) than goals (11) in a season.
The national team: From heartbreak to redemption
Messi's relationship with Argentina was fraught with near-misses. As captain, he led the team to three consecutive finals-2014 World Cup, 2015 Copa América, and 2016 Copa América-only to lose each time. After the 2016 defeat, he briefly retired, later returning with a hardened resolve. In 2019, he publicly criticized CONMEBOL following a controversial Copa América semi-final loss to Brazil, signaling a new assertiveness.
The breakthrough came in 2021. Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 in the Copa América final, ending a 28-year trophy drought. Messi's pre-match team talk moved the dressing room to tears. A year later, at the 2022 World Cup, he delivered his magnum opus: a tournament that showcased every iteration of his career. From a vintage sprint past Josko Gvardiol in the semi-final to the quarterback-like precision in the final against France-including a crucial assist for Nahuel Molina and a ghost run to force a rebound-Messi was the architect of Argentina's triumph.
The modern maestro: Efficiency over effort
Now at Inter Miami and preparing for the 2026 World Cup, Messi's game has evolved once more. Where critics once questioned his work rate, they now see mastery. He conserves energy, reading the game with surgical precision. As his childhood idol Pablo Aimar put it, "The last Messi is always the best Messi."
In a 2023 interview with Zinedine Zidane, Messi reflected on football's tactical evolution: "The game today is much more tactical and physical than before. Before, you found more spaces." His ability to thrive across eras-from the physical battles of the 2000s to the positional play of Guardiola's Barcelona and the transition-heavy modern game-sets him apart.
Why Messi's story defies superlatives
As Argentina eyes a historic World Cup defense, the focus will inevitably turn to Messi's legacy. But the real story isn't just his trophies or statistics-it's his relentless reinvention. From the teenage winger who bewildered Capello to the false nine who redefined European football, the enganche who orchestrated play, and the veteran who sees the game before anyone else, Messi has repeatedly become someone new. That, more than any superlative, is his defining achievement.
"I didn't used to pay much attention to tactics. But with Guardiola I learned an enormous amount. I started to understand spaces, ball retention, how the game really works."
Lionel Messi, 2024
