Barcelona: What is the solution to Lionel Messi’s Argentina problem?

Lionel Messi has not been able to replicate his Barcelona form for Argentina

When players get on the pitch, it is their performance which determines the result at the end of the day. But if there is lack of co-ordination in tactics, they can never fulfill their potential. Lionel Messi has never faced that issue at Barcelona, but always faces it at international level.

Diego Maradona firmly established himself as the greatest player of all-time after leading a beleaguered Argentina side to the World Cup title in 1986 in Mexico, scoring the greatest goal of the 20th century along the way.

But despite all of Maradona’s heroics, the only thing keeping Lionel Messi from surpassing his compatriot is success on the international level. Messi came achingly close to sealing the elusive World Cup in 2014, but Mario Götze’s last-gasp winner meant that it went to Germany.

But unlike Maradona, Messi has a huge barrier keeping him from international success, the AFA. The Argentina national team hasn’t had a renowned tactician as head coach since Marcelo Bielsa stepped down 15 years ago.

Alejandro Sabella had little to do with Argentina’s success in Brazil, as Leo Messi’s individual brilliance carried Argentina to the finals. Maradona was a disaster, while the likes of Edgardo Bauza and Jorge Sampaoli have been extremely poor.

Maradona was given a free reign by manager Carlos Bilardo, which showed shrewdness on his part. But somehow, the last few coaches appointed by the AFA have failed to recognise that Messi is as talented as Maradona, and has the ability to carry the team on his own.

Instead, these coaches have tried to maximise their use of the ‘golden generation’ of Argentine footballers including the likes of Sergio Agüero. But as Argentina’s 1978 World Cup-winning hero Mario Kempes points out, “They fall asleep when they don the Argentina jersey.”

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Messi should not be limited to a position. His role should be fluid, like it is at Barça. Of course, he needs quality players to supplement his individual brilliance. But these players cannot belong to the ‘golden generation’, having shown their uselessness already.

Players like Paulo Dybala, Lautaro Martínez, Mauro Icardi and Cristian Pavón deserve a chance to play alongside Lionel Messi. If they manage to gel with the maestro, Argentina can conquer the world. But they need opportunities.

Argentina needs a quality head coach. Lionel Scaloni’s replacement needs to take cue from Joachim Löw, who recently announced that Germany’s World Cup heroes Jérôme Boateng, Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels will not be called up anymore.

Persistence with the ‘golden generation’ will lead absolutely nowhere. The new manager needs to be a clever tactician, who can build a formidable, young attacking side around the unwavering genius of Leo Messi. Defensive woes also need to be a thing of the past.

The likes of Federico Fazio and Gabriel Mercado shouldn’t have a future with the Argentina national team. Youngsters like Juan Foyth, Nicolás Tagliafico and Emanuel Mammana have been rising in Europe, and should be assimilated into the first-team.

Only if these revolutionary changes are made will Lionel Messi ever have a shot at surpassing the legacy of Diego Maradona.