June 16 is a special date for Lionel Messi, Argentina, and his fans. It marks the day he made his FIFA World Cup debut, as well as the date on which he tied Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading World Cup scorer with 16 goals. Curiously, and quite precisely, 20 years passed between these two events.

The most famous line from Volver, the tango by his fellow countryman Carlos Gardel, says that “twenty years is nothing,” and it is impossible not to think of the Argentine superstar and his journey through football’s greatest tournament.

_{I can make out the flickering lights in the distance
That mark my return
They are the same lights that once illuminated
Long hours of pain with their pale reflections}

Leo, now a World Cup champion and a football legend, had never scored a hat trick in a World Cup before. This may well have been his finest performance in the tournament—or at the very least, his most emphatic one.

Until now, his goals had only directly delivered victories for Argentina against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iran during the group stage of Brazil 2014. The other 11 goals he had scored, while not always decisive, still brought immense joy to Argentina and its supporters—especially the four he scored in Qatar 2022, where he helped secure the nation’s third World Cup star.

For years, that was one of the main criticisms directed at him: that he was not the same dominant figure for Argentina as he was for his clubs, or that he failed to shine in the World Cup’s biggest matches. Critics pointed to the heartbreaking final against Germany at the Maracana in 2014, the Round of 16 loss to France at Russia 2018, and the quarterfinal eliminations against Germany in both 2006 and 2010.

Could this finally be the moment when, as a veteran, he completely takes over a World Cup and leads Argentina to back-to-back titles, just as he achieved sustained success with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami?

_{And though I never wanted to return
One always returns to their first love
The old street that sheltered me
Owns my life and my affection}

Exactly two decades ago, on June 16, 2006, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, then-Argentina manager Jose Nestor Pekerman handed Messi his World Cup debut. Entering in the 74th minute against Serbia and Montenegro as a substitute for Maxi Rodríguez, the young prodigy delivered a memorable performance, recording both a goal and an assist.

After setting up Hernan Crespo in the 78th minute and scoring Argentina’s sixth and final goal, Messi announced to the world, on football’s grandest stage, that he was destined for greatness.

The phenomenon known today as “Messi Mania” was already taking shape. It was merely a preview of what would become a global movement around a player who had already established himself as an extraordinary Golden Boy at Barcelona, winning a UEFA Champions League title and two La Liga championships before turning 20.

_{Under the mocking gaze of the stars
Which, with indifference,
Watch me return today}

In the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, uncertainty surrounded whether Messi would participate at all. Neither he nor Lionel Scaloni offered clear answers. Fans could only cling to hope and trust in the Rosario native’s passion for football and for Argentina.

On May 28, what many had hoped for was confirmed, and on June 16 it became reality: Messi would play in yet another World Cup.

At Kansas City Stadium, in Argentina’s 3–0 victory over Algeria, he became the first player in football history to appear in six World Cups—one day before Cristiano Ronaldo achieved the same feat. He also did so in spectacular fashion, scoring a historic hat trick that overshadowed the debuts of Kylian Mbappe with France and Erling Haaland with Norway, both of whom scored braces but ultimately yielded the spotlight to the South American icon.

The younger stars—whether the self-proclaimed No. 1 in the case of the Frenchman or the tireless Viking energy of Haaland—witnessed the return of the best version of a 38-year-old player many believed would not even make it to this tournament. Questions about his age, injuries, departure from Europe’s elite leagues, and his participation in Major League Soccer had fueled doubts about his ability to compete at the highest level.

Yet Messi defied every prediction. He reached 27 World Cup appearances, the most by any player in history—five more than Cristiano Ronaldo and ahead of retired German legends Lothar Matthäus (25) and Miroslav Klose (24).

_{To return
With a weathered brow
Time’s snows have silvered my temples
To feel
That life is but a breath
That twenty years are nothing
That a feverish gaze
Wanders through the shadows searching and calling your name}

_{But the traveler who flees
Sooner or later stops his journey
And though oblivion, which destroys everything,
May have killed my old illusion}

The football world is fortunate to witness Lionel’s achievements.

Argentina has produced legendary figures such as Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes, and Gabriel Batistuta. Yet none remained at the summit for as long as Messi, whose influence has unquestionably shaped more than three generations—especially Millennials, Generation Z, and Generation Alpha.

Many grew up watching him break records and accumulate trophies. Children became adults while Messi continued collecting glory after glory. That is why some of the darker chapters have faded from memory: his resignation from the national team after losing the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals to Chile, the heartbreak of the 2014 World Cup final, his painful departure from Barcelona, and even the controversies so often cited by his critics.

Gardel and lyricist Alfredo Le Pera were right when they wrote those words in Volver, even if they could never have imagined they would one day resonate so perfectly with Messi’s social and cultural impact.

Messi revealed the most human side of himself while performing superhuman feats, and that is what has transcended sport. We have grown older alongside him. The day he finally decides to say goodbye will be difficult, and that moment is drawing closer.

He has provided countless moments of joy to millions of people, helping them forget their troubles, if only briefly, through his football.

_{To live
With the soul clinging
To a sweet memory that I weep for once more
I fear the encounter with the past that returns
To confront my life again
I fear the nights crowded with memories
That chain my dreams}

_{I keep hidden a humble hope
Which is all the fortune of my heart}

For a long time, Messi was relentlessly criticized for failing to win the World Cup. That lingering burden was finally lifted in Qatar 2022. The image of him raising football’s most coveted trophy in Doha silenced many of the doubts surrounding his legacy and whether he deserved a place alongside Maradona or Pele.

The debate over the greatest footballer of all time will always remain subjective and a matter of personal preference. What is beyond dispute, however, is that watching him defend his crown at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada would elevate his story to yet another level.

That is why his performance against Algeria has reignited hopes of seeing Argentina retain the title. It is still early, of course, but football has never been governed by logic—especially when Messi is involved.

At the same time, the possibility of Argentina falling before July 19 cannot be ruled out. The competition is fierce, with formidable opponents such as France and Spain, and winning consecutive World Cups remains one of football’s rarest achievements.

Only a select group—including his fellow Argentine Daniel Passarella, Pele, Ronaldo Nazario, Cafu, and Giuseppe Meazza—have experienced the privilege of being two-time world champions.

Faith is always the last thing to die, especially among football fans.

Just ask Messi, who has spent his entire career fighting, recovering, and climbing back to the top.

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