CEO Of Messi FC

[CEO Of Messi FC @ceoofmessifc]

look where time brought us SubhanAllabh Alhamdullillah

[Premiumerza @PREMIUMERZA]

"For me, the national team is over."

Today is June 27. Exactly 10 years ago on this day, Lionel Messi announced the end of his international career. In other words, he announced his retirement.

Argentina had just lost back-to-back Copa América finals to Chile. This time, Messi himself also missed a penalty.

Even before that, he had been under immense pressure from the Argentine media and a section of the fanbase. There was also relentless pressure from the international media, especially the English media. And of course, rival fans were always there.

Everything combined pushed Messi to the brink of despair, and he decided to retire from the national team.

But then he came back.

Argentina's qualification for the 2018 World Cup had become genuinely uncertain. Messi dragged the team to qualification without even needing the playoffs. That unforgettable hat-trick after Argentina had fallen behind remains one of the greatest performances of his career.

Then came another setback at the 2018 World Cup. The squad was plagued by injuries. There was also conflict between the players and the manager. Argentina were eliminated after losing 4-3 to France.

After that, Lionel Scaloni took charge as head coach.

His first tournament also ended in disappointment. Argentina lost to Brazil in the Copa América semi-final.

Then the next Copa América became uncertain because of the pandemic. Eventually, it was held in Brazil, Argentina's greatest rivals' home.

The first match brought another obstacle. But from there, Argentina kept growing stronger. In the end, thanks to the performances of Ángel Di María and Emi Martínez, Messi finally lifted his first international trophy.

Then came the Finalissima.

Argentina completely outclassed European champions Italy, with Messi once again stealing the show.

Then came the World Cup.

This time, they had to win it. Argentina entered the tournament as one of the favorites, carrying a 36-match unbeaten run.

But they lost the opening match to Saudi Arabia.

After the game, Messi told the fans to trust this team. He promised they would not let them down.

In the next match came Messi's timeless goal.

From that point onward, it was one magical moment after another. One world-class performance after another.

Against the Netherlands, Argentina bottled a two-goal lead, but won on penalties.

Against France in the final, they twice surrendered the lead. In the end, Emi Martínez came to the rescue.

The World Cup was finally in Messi's hands.

Everything had been won.

Messi stood above everyone else.

Messi was in paradise.

His career was complete.

Then somehow, Lionel Scaloni convinced him to play another Copa América.

There, Messi reinvented himself once again. He created more than 10 big chances in just two matches.

The result was another Copa América title, Argentina's second in a row.

Then he became Argentina's best performer in the World Cup qualifiers.

He guided the team back to the World Cup while keeping them ranked No. 1 in the world.

He scored a hat-trick in the opening match.

In the next game, after missing an early penalty, he responded with two goals.

Now Argentina are once again the hottest favorites.

If you look closely at this entire journey, you'll notice one thing.

Messi doesn't break anymore.

Against the Netherlands, he was the first one to lift his head after everything started slipping away.

Against France, it was the same story.

After bottling the lead, he produced one of the greatest performances of his career.

There are countless examples like this.

But Messi wasn't always like this.

So what changed?

Why doesn't he fall apart anymore?

Because something that's already broken cannot be broken again.

Everything inside Messi that could break, broke on June 27, 2016.

Since then, he has never broken again in the sky blue and white shirt.

Since then, he has only built.

He has only moved forward.

He has only kept winning.

[CEO Of Messi FC @ceoofmessifc]

both of you need to shine tonight 🤲

[Barça Worldwide @BarcaWorldwide]

Time to score goals

[Sam @thatsam009_]

How can i explain the weight of this scene who has never watched "2014 FIFA World Cup Final".

[Messias @Messias30_]

Mirá lo que es este abrazo de Messi y Scaloni después de ser campeones de Copa América.

Que se repita.

[Gastón Edul @gastonedul]

Titular.
Debuta en Mundiales.

[Archivo Lautaro @ArchivoLautaro]

¿Y si sí...?

[♡ @Bonmatimessi]

I believe in them

[Arvin @sozirv]

Finally found a photo of that iconic first touch

[Messias @Messias30_]

El control icónico.

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

91 year old legendary Argentinian journalist Macaya Márquez was in press conference, covering his 18th (!) World Cup 🐐

“Let me ask you… will Messi play against Jordan or not?” 😬

“I’d never reply to any journalist on this topic now… but it is coming from you, and so I tell you: Messi will not start” 👏🏼

“I respect you too much, I’m proud to see you here”, added.

Scaloni then went to hug Márquez and took a picture 🫂🥹

Two absolute legends. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐲. 👏🏼

🎥 @okdobleamarilla

[𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐲 🎩 @Shelby_Messi]

Picture of the day 🙌🐐

[mara @otbmrtnz]

LA FOTO QUE TENÍA JULIÁN 😭

[Football & Witball @FootballWitball]

🇦🇷 Rodrigo De Paul might never receive the same headlines as football's biggest stars.

But if Argentina are to win another World Cup, few players will be more important.

Against Algeria, De Paul once again showed exactly why he remains one of the first names on Lionel Scaloni's team sheet. While Messi's hat-trick grabbed the spotlight, one of the game's defining moments came from a trademark De Paul contribution, a perfectly weighted line-breaking pass that split the Algerian defence and released Messi to score.

It was a reminder of something Argentina have known for years. Rodrigo De Paul is indispensable.

Since making his international debut, De Paul has been a constant presence throughout Argentina's most successful era in modern football. He started throughout the triumphant Copa América campaign in 2021. He was a key figure during the 2022 World Cup victory. He helped Argentina defend their continental crown in 2024. Through every major triumph under Lionel Scaloni, De Paul has been there. That is not a coincidence.

For years, football fans have jokingly labelled him Lionel Messi's "bodyguard." The nickname has followed him everywhere. It comes from the way he constantly protects Messi, confronts opponents, wins duels and refuses to let anyone get close to Argentina's captain without a fight.

But reducing De Paul to merely Messi's bodyguard completely misses the point. He is far more than that. De Paul is the engine that keeps Argentina running.

He presses relentlessly. He covers enormous ground. He recovers possession. He links defence and attack. He plays progressive passes. He increases the tempo when Argentina need urgency and slows things down when control is required.

Most importantly, he understands exactly what Scaloni wants from his team. Against Algeria, there was one moment that perfectly captured his mentality. Deep into the game, with Argentina already comfortable, De Paul chased down a loose ball, intercepted a pass and launched it into the stands before immediately demanding his teammates stay switched on. For him, matches are never over until the final whistle. That intensity is contagious.

As ever, De Paul acted as both the engine and emotional compass of Scaloni's side. His relentless energy, tireless work rate and instinctive reading of the game embody many of the qualities that have turned Argentina into the dominant force of international football.

Is he the most technically gifted midfielder in world football? Probably not. Has he enjoyed the same club success as some of his teammates? Not really. But for Argentina, he has become one of the defining players of an entire generation.

He runs, fights, organizes, inspires and protects. He understands when to raise the intensity and when to calm the game down. His influence extends far beyond goals and assists. It can be seen in every sprint, every tackle, every duel and every act of leadership.

When De Paul moved to Inter Miami, some questioned whether playing in Major League Soccer would weaken his place in the national team. With younger midfielders emerging and competition increasing, there were debates about whether Argentina should begin looking elsewhere.

De Paul answered those questions himself. He explained that regular football was the priority. Playing every three days, staying physically sharp and remaining available for the national team mattered more than anything else. His focus was always on arriving at the World Cup ready to deliver whatever Argentina needed. And so far, he has done exactly that.

At 32, De Paul may not attract the attention that follows Messi, but his role might be more important than ever. Argentina possess world-class attackers, creative midfielders and elite defenders, but very few players combine intensity, leadership, tactical intelligence and sacrifice quite like him.

Rodrigo De Paul remains one of the biggest reasons why Lionel Scaloni's dynasty keeps marching forward.

[ESPN FC @ESPNFC]

Each member of Argentina's World Cup team is wearing a personalized shirt with a picture of them and Messi for his birthday 🥹

This team loves their captain ❤️

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

Julián Álvarez wrote a birthday letter to Leo Messi. 🩵🤍

“To you, who changed our lives, who gave us unforgettable moments, who 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞…”.

“The best part wasn’t watching it, it was living it with you!”.

“𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮”.

“May you be immensely happy!” ❤️🇦🇷

[Gastón Edul @gastonedul]

La Selección Argentina festeja el cumpleaños de Leo Messi.

[BD Albiceleste 🇧🇩💙🇦🇷 @bd_albiceleste]

🎂🇦🇷 The entire Argentina squad came together to celebrate Lionel Messi's birthday, wearing special t-shirts in honor of their captain.

A simple gesture, but another reflection of the affection, respect, and admiration Messi receives from everyone in the group.

[🧚🏼 @fcbonaa]

te amo siempre leo, gracias por intentarlo una y otra vez

[Castro1021 @Castro1021]

He’s scored 12 World Cup goals and has a World Cup trophy since this video…….

Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.

Happy 39th birthday to Lionel Messi.

[Roger Bonet "Ruxi" @Ruxiiii4]

This is Argentina’s passing map against Austria.

Messi’s influence is huge. It’s not just about the goals, it’s about how involved he is in the team’s attacking dynamics.

More than any other attacker at this World Cup.