It is hard to imagine a time when Lionel Messi had a hard time stepping up to the occasion. The Argentine skipper always oozes confidence on the field, which says he is ready for anything. However, while Messi may have grown into a grizzled old veteran, it was not the same from the get go. It’s hard to believe, but even La Pulga had jitters before his first game as captain for the Argentine national football team.

Former Argentina star Juan Sebastian Veron talked about Messi’s first experience leading the national team. Lionel Messi was given the opportunity to lead the Albiceleste back in 2010 with senior names Javier Mascherano and Gabriel Heinze rested against Greece. Veron, in an interview with Clank! spoke of Messi’s first words as Argentina’s captain.

Veron stated, “He got stuck at some point. It’s normal. It’s not easy to speak in front of a group, especially in that situation. We didn’t help him. It turned out well.” 

While at first look it seems like the team put Messi under unnecessary spotlight, Veron highlighted that senior players in the team had observed Messi being too shy and all of them wanted him to break out of the shell. Well, it seems their decision did wonders with La Pulga finding the confidence to become the natural leader he is today.

Lionel Messi had a happy ending with leadership and legacy

La Pulga has etched his name in history with the Argentine helping his national team get hands on the coveted World title back in 2022. Lionel Messi led the charge from the front throughout the tournament as he emerged as the best player in the tournament, falling short of the Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe by just one goal. Prior to the World Cup win, Messi broke the imaginary door in 2021, winning his first title with the national team as a captain, with the Albiceleste getting their hands on the Copa America title.

Lionel Messi and his men will look to repeat history as they step into the Copa America 2024 this summer. All eyes will be on Argentina with the fans expecting the Albiceleste to walk out of the tournament as winners. However, with how the past few months have gone, the team will have to bring out their best games if they want to avoid competition from the likes of Brazil and Uruguay, who seem to be at the top of their game.

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