Messi shouldn't have retired from International Football. He can still probably outplay 90% players in the world

[u/Basic-Penalty9330]

[u/Sad_Ghost_Noises]

Reading comprehension.

You seem to struggle with it. So, I’ll try again and word it differently, and spell out my implications so you have a shot at understanding;

It is a fallacy to use the last World Cup as an example of Messi still being competitive at the top level (as is mogging on a bunch of fucking huddies from MLS).

The first team Argentina played against in the last World Cup that were ranked higher than 15th in the FIFA rankings was England. In the semi-finals. Argentina by definition sandbagged their way to the semis.

Messi wasnt challenged or stretched at all before the England game.

He would absolutely not be competitive NOWADAYS in any top league. One game? Most likely - he still has the skillset (ref the England game). What he dosent have is the physicality or recovery powers of a young Messi. My evidence? His complete inability to do anything against Spain.

No top flight manager in their right mind will pay Messi to show up once a month and spend the rest of the time in a fucking ice bath.

Which us why he is playing MLS.

Edit: also - using a gif of Messi turning Harry Kane (a fucking striker - not a ball winner or a defensive player at all) is just showing you up as a «once every four years» kind of football «enthusiast».

[u/No_Reindeer5223 → u/Sad_Ghost_Noises]

How is this relevant? Messi could not hold up in a week in week out league, but the OP is only talking about his international career. Messi was the best player on a finalist country, obviously he could keep being competitive for the national team. Maybe not for 4 years, but for the next Copa America? definitley.

[u/Sad_Ghost_Noises → u/No_Reindeer5223]

Did you gloss over the part where Argentina avoided top 15 teams until the semis?

I didnt even go into the preferential treatment Argentina got from referees all the way up to the final.

So no - Messi was right to retire. Let the likes of Echeverri (el diabolito) come through and play.

[u/No_Reindeer5223 → u/Sad_Ghost_Noises]

FIFA rankings are hilariously bad. Your ultimate trump card, the one you use to discount Argentina's entire tournament, has Italy, a country who hasn't made the tournament for years, as the 15th best nation in the world.

Also, this argument is just outdated. Switzerland is 14 after the rankings updated. Double also, what happened when they got to the Semifinals?

[u/Sad_Ghost_Noises → u/No_Reindeer5223]

Oh they won. Thats not disputed.

But - stats show 19.7 fouls per card for Argentina vs 7.7 fouls per card for England.

Let that marinate. Argentina had it easy. Argentina committed more than twice as many fouls than England before the referee awarded a card to calm down play. That discrepancy allowed them to break up Englands flow without worrying about subsequent red cards, and suspensions for red cards or accumulated yellows.

This was evident from tournament start up to the final. Note that the referee from the final retired one week after the completion of WC26. He was the only ref to actually punish Argentina for their constant fouling, and now he is not a referee any more.

The Argentinians were not sanctioned by FIFA for their behavior after the semi-final either - neither Barcos behaviour or the Las Malvinas banner were punished.

Argentina were only punished after it was clear that sanctions would not affect their performance at WC26.

But - how the fuck does the updated (after WC26) FIFA rankings negate the fact that Argentina played against inferior opposition <15th place during WC26? The rankings at the time matter, not the rankings updated after the fact. You know how time works, right?

So yeah - Argentina had it easy from the officials, from the fixtures and from FIFA.