The debate over who truly deserves the title of football’s greatest never seems to end. And for fans following both international tournaments and BD Cricket Live, the conversation often circles back to one name—Lionel Messi. In a recent interview with Marca, Ricardo La Volpe, former Argentine World Cup winner and current head coach of Mexico’s Club América, shared his thoughts on what Messi still needs to accomplish to claim the throne once and for all.
La Volpe made one thing clear: national teams are never about just one player. “There’s no such thing as Team Messi,” he said. “A national team depends on collective strength, not one superstar.” He pointed out that Messi has never played the same way for Argentina as he has for Barcelona. In Spain, Messi had the support of legends like Xavi, Iniesta, Rakitić, and Suárez—players who shared the same footballing philosophy and worked within a consistent tactical system.
According to La Volpe, Argentina needs a similar approach if it wants to bring out the best in Messi. He also noted that luck hasn’t been on Messi’s side at the international level. Despite reaching three major finals—the FIFA World Cup, the Copa América, and the Copa América Centenario—Messi fell just short each time. La Volpe believes these near-misses have left a blemish on his national team legacy.
When asked about Messi’s place in football history, La Volpe didn’t hold back. “At the senior national team level, he hasn’t won anything significant,” he said. “That has to count against him.” At the club level, Messi has shown every possible level of brilliance. But to reach the heights of legends like Diego Maradona and Pelé, he needs the crowning achievement—a World Cup title.
Maradona lifted the trophy in 1986 and led Argentina to the final again in 1990. Pelé won three World Cups with Brazil. Both players carried their nations to glory. Messi, for all his brilliance, still lacks that final feather in his cap. According to La Volpe, that missing World Cup is the only thing standing between Messi and undisputed greatness.
As fans continue watching every twist and turn of his career—including those who catch tournament updates alongside BD Cricket Live coverage—the question remains: can Messi add that final jewel to his crown? Until then, the debate will rage on, from Buenos Aires to Barcelona to BD Cricket Live comment sections worldwide.