What made Lionel Messi a legend he is today

Just last week, Messi scored what was an unstoppable free-kick from 25-27 yards in his team’s 4-0 drubbing of the United States in the Copa America semi-final. That goal, described by many as simply outrageous, pipped him over Batistuta for the Argentine goal-scoring record.

Messi, who led Argentina since the 2010 World Cup, played an influential part in his country’s journey to the final at the Maracana. Argentina, though lost again, this time to German Mario Gotze’s 113rd minute goal. Messi scored in each of Argentina’s group matches— against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria. While he didn’t exactly set the knockout stages alight, he did lay the pass for teammate Angel di Maria’s winner against Switzerland in the round of 16s deep extra-time.

It took Messi seven years to register his first hat-trick for Argentina. It came against Switzerland in February 2012, when he starred in what was a masterly showing in the first half. He struck his first goal in the 19th minute, while the other two goals came late—in the 87th minute and the 93rd minute of the game. Argentina won the friendly 3-1.

The only major trophy Messi has won with the Argentine national team, besides the Fifa World Youth Championships. Messi was part of the U-23 team that clinched its second gold medal in Olympic history. The squad also included his current team-mates like Angel di Maria, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Sergio Aguero among others. Messi scored twice in the tournament—against Ivory Coast in the group stage and The Netherlands in the quarter-finals.

While he’d scored in the 2006 World Cup against Serbia and Montenegro, it was the 2007 edition of the Copa America in Venezuela that he’d announced his big-time arrival. Messi, then 20, scored two and assisted one goal in the six matches of the tournament, where Argentina reached the final before eventually losing out to Brazil. The memorable Messi moment from that tournament, still discussed is the delightful lob against Mexico, which clinched the match for the Argentines.