Messi's Redemption:
Why Knowing When to Quit is the First Step to Triumph
Before reaching glory, the record Ballon d'Or winner had to learn to manage frustration. A look back at Lionel Messi's most vulnerable moment.
Eight Ballons d'Or now gleam in Lionel Messi's trophy cabinet. Yet, beyond the records and ultimate triumph lies a pivotal chapter that humanized the legend: the day he decided to retire from the Argentine National Team. Far from an escape, that gesture marked the beginning of a profound rebuilding.
For years, resignation was associated with failure or a lack of character. In Messi's case, the opposite occurred. His step aside in 2016 was a response to pressure accumulated over more than a decade. Pressure that wasn't just sporting… It was symbolic, emotional, and national.
Messi: From 2016 Resignation to Eternal Glory
On June 26, 2016, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Argentina lost the Copa América Centenario final to Chile. It was the third consecutive final the Albiceleste had fallen in with Messi as captain, following the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 Copa América. That night, the forward missed his penalty in the decisive shootout. Images of Messi crying on the pitch circulated worldwide.
Minutes later, in the mixed zone, the earthquake hit. Messi announced his resignation from the 'Albiceleste'. “The national team is over for me,” he told reporters. “It's four finals, it's not for me.” It wasn't an impulsive statement. It was the result of years of public questioning, constant comparisons to Diego Maradona, and a persistent narrative in parts of the Argentine press that labeled him incapable of succeeding in the national jersey.
This context is key to understanding the episode. Since his senior debut, Messi carried immense expectations: to win with Argentina what he had already won everything with Barcelona. Each defeat reinforced the idea of an outstanding debt. After the 2016 final, the player himself acknowledged the weight of that burden:
“I tried so hard. I wanted to be a champion with the national team and it didn't happen. I missed the penalty.”
It wasn't a tantrum, but a confession. Messi spoke of sadness, mental exhaustion, a feeling of personal injustice. For the first time, the world's best player publicly exposed his fragility. That act, far from weakening his figure, revealed the human dimension behind the genius.
Managing Frustration: The Key to Messi's Success
Reactions were swift. In Argentina, thousands of fans took to the streets and social media to ask him to return. The slogan “Don't go, Leo” multiplied. Teammates, former players, and executives expressed their support. The resignation, paradoxically, unleashed a wave of empathy that Messi had not felt so massively before.
Two months later, in August 2016, the star reversed his decision. He explained that he had reflected, spoken with his family, and that his love for the jersey remained intact. Later, he would admit that his retirement was the result of “confusion and extreme exhaustion.”
Something had changed: he understood that he couldn't carry all expectations alone and that failure was also part of the journey.
The Reward for Not Giving Up
The definitive turning point came in 2021. At the Maracanã, Argentina defeated Brazil and won the Copa América. Messi, captain and star player, finally broke the curse. After the match, he confessed that this title allowed him to “be at peace” with himself and his history with the national team. He was no longer playing to settle a debt, but to enjoy.
From then on, history was rewritten. The Finalissima, the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and another Copa América solidified Messi as a leader and a benchmark for a team that learned to support him. The captain also transformed: more serene, more collective, less a prisoner of the obligation to win.
With his eighth Ballon d'Or, Messi closed a circle that was neither linear nor perfect, but profoundly human. His legacy is not just about titles, but about demonstrating that even the greatest need to pause, doubt, and recompose themselves.
Unintentionally, he left a lesson that transcends football: sometimes, giving up is not losing. It's the first step to coming back stronger and, ultimately, winning it all.
Lionel Messi's 8 Ballons d'Or
2009
2010
2011
2012
2015
2019
2021
2023
Click here to explore Lionel Messi's full profile and discover all his statistics, records, and career in detail.
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