The 2018 World Cup performance of Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi has appeared in four World Cups for Argentina, but he has a surprisingly modest record, having scored just six goals in 19 matches.

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And, arguably, the 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia was the most disappointing of all, with him yet again seeming to struggle under the weight of expectation placed upon him by the Argentine fans.

Yet, he went into the World Cup seemingly at the height of his powers, having just won the league and cup double with Barcelona.

In fact, his campaign got off to the worst possible start, with Argentina drawing their opening group game with Iceland 1–1 and Messi himself missing a penalty.

Things then got much worse in their next match, as his team was out-classed 3–0 by Croatia, a result that left them on the brink of elimination.

Messi himself was barely involved, touching the ball just 49 times and only six times in the last 15 minutes. It became clear that his team was over-reliant on him, and that made the Albiceleste very easy to play against. If the opposition can keep him quiet and pack the center of midfield, Argentina simply does not work. The player himself had told the national team coach at the time, Jorge Sampaoli, not to play the 3–4–3 formation he was used to playing with his club side, because it naturally drew defenders into the inside right channel he likes to attack. Sampaoli agreed, but went and played it anyway.

Even some of his teammates admitted that the temptation was simply to give him the ball and let him get on with it.

All this made their final group game against Nigeria a mini-final in itself, and finally, Messi lived up to his billing by scoring the first goal of the game. Nigeria though equalized and missed two good chances to take the lead before defender Marcos Rojo scored a late winner to ensure the South Americans advanced at the expense of the Africans.

In the last 16, they met France in what was to become one of the games of the tournament. France took an early lead from the penalty spot, but then Argentina not only equalised but took the lead, with Messi providing the assist for Gabriel Mercado.

But then three goals in a 10-minute gap in the second half, two of them scored by Kylian Mbappé, swung the match decisively in favour of France. Deep into added time, Messi’s cross found the head of Sergio Agüero to reduce the deficit, but it was a case of too little too late by then, and Argentina’s World Cup campaign was over for another four years.

Back home, the reaction was understandably hostile, with the Argentine public quickly blaming everybody involved for what was widely viewed as a chaotic campaign. Messi himself was not immune from criticism, and, having retired from international football once, contemplated doing so again.

Fortunately, he changed his mind and finally enjoyed international success last year when Argentina won the Copa América in 2021, beating Brazil in the final. Captain Messi lifted the trophy.