National Team Flops: Lionel Messi

Today, we start our new feature about players that fail to replicate their club form for their national teams, and the first article in our series will be on Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi is considered by many to be the best player in the world, and also, by some, to be the greatest player of all time.

This is mostly due to the incredible displays that he has put on for his club, FC Barcelona. Since making his debut as a teenager in the 2004/05 season, Messi has scored 364 goals for the Catalan giants and has won numerous honours, including three UEFA Champions Leagues and six La Liga conquests.

However, with Argentina, Messi has never won a major trophy at senior level. In 95 appearances for his country, he has only scored 44 goals, which is below his incredible club standards. 

His fortunes seem to make a turn for the better at this summer's World Cup in Brazil. However, after scoring four goals during the groupstages, he was less influential in the latter stages of the tournament. Despite winning five Man of the Match awards and being awarded the Golden Ball award for the best player at the competition, he was hardly criticised for almost being invincible in the World Cup final defeat to Germany.

The diminutive forward has caught the attention of spectators across the world, and has been unstoppable for Barcelona over the course of his decade-long career with the club. However, whenever he pulls on the blue and white jersey of his native country, the 27-year-old has often failed to impress.

For this reason, he is the first man to appear in our running feature of national team flops. Please let us know who else you would like to see in the feature, and we will be bringing more in the coming days.

Do you think Lionel Messi is a flop for Argentina? Have your say in the comments section below.