Although Argentina could only manage a 1-1 draw with Chile in their latest World Cup qualifier, their supporters could take great heart from Lionel Messi’s performance.
The Argentina captain put in a stunning display and could have added to his 24th-minute penalty with an effort that struck the crossbar with ten minutes remaining.
His performance on Thursday evening was a continuation of the fine form he showed throughout the second half of the season at Barcelona.
His nine goals in his last ten matches in LaLiga Santander hauled his side back into the title race, as he finished the season with 30 goals in the league and and his eighth Pichichi trophy.
He also brought silverware back to the Camp Nou with a stunning performance in the Copa del Rey final to lead his side to a 4-0 victory over Athletic Club.
With his 34th birthday at the end of June, Messi knows that he will not have many more chances to lift Argentina’s first Copa America title since 1993 and his desire to win is as strong as ever.
“We always want to win, that’s the goal,” he told the Argentina national team’s social media account before the Chile clash.
Argentina’s captain, together with his young, hungry side, are desperate to secure silverware, after the agonising disappointments of recent Copa America and World Cup campaigns.
With Messi in this kind of form, this could be their year.
