Five defining moments from Messi's international career

Lionel Messi made his Argentina debut in August 2005 against Hungary at age 18, entering in the closing minutes before being sent off shortly after coming on. He scored his first international goal in a 2006 friendly against Croatia and went on to become Argentina's all-time leading scorer with 125 goals. In 2008, Messi was part of the Argentina Under-23 squad that won gold at the Beijing Olympics, his first major title with the senior national team. He added the 2021 Copa América, secured with a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the final, ending a long trophy drought for the Albiceleste. The defining moment came at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Argentina defeated France in the final to claim their third world title. The tournament victory cemented Messi's legacy on the international stage after years of near-misses with the national team.