How Many Trophies Has Lionel Messi Won with Argentina? A Look at His International Achievements In the ongoing debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, one major point against Messi is his limited success with Argentina’s national team.
Messi and Ronaldo have been dominant at the club level for over a decade, winning a combined 11 Ballon d’Or awards, but both have faced challenges in achieving similar success with their countries.
In 2016, Ronaldo won his first major international trophy with Portugal in the European Championship, and he added the UEFA Nations League title in 2019.
How many trophies has Messi won for Argentina?
Surprisingly, the Barcelona captain won his first major trophy with Argentina in 2021 when he finally lifted the Copa America—his first big win with the senior team, ending years without an international trophy.
Before 2021, Messi reached three Copa America finals and one World Cup final, but lost each time. However, he does have an Olympic gold medal and one from the Under-20 World Cup.
Messi’s time with Argentina has often been full of disappointment, but now, after winning the Copa America in 2021, he can hopefully look back on his career with Argentina with happier memories.
FIFA World Youth Championship 2005
Messi’s first big win came at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, now known as the Under-20 World Cup. He had just turned 18 and played alongside talented teammates like Pablo Zabaleta, Sergio Aguero, and Fernando Gago.
In this tournament, Messi truly shined. He became the top scorer and won the Golden Ball for his impressive performances. He scored key goals against Colombia, Spain, and Brazil, and his two goals in the final helped Argentina defeat Nigeria.
A month after this victory, coach Jose Pekerman called him up to the senior national team, starting his journey there.
In 2006, Messi was part of Argentina’s squad for the World Cup in Germany. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to the host country, Germany, in a penalty shootout.
In 2007, Messi and Argentina made it to the Copa America final. He played alongside stars like Juan Roman Riquelme, Pablo Aimar, and Hernan Crespo. However, they lost to Brazil in the final with a 3-0 score.
Olympics 2008
He didn’t have much time to reflect on that experience. In 2008, he joined a strong Argentina team, including Aguero, Riquelme, and Di Maria, and helped them win Olympic gold in China. Messi was a key player, especially as they defeated Brazil in the semi-final and beat Nigeria in the final.
Since then, however, Messi’s journey with Argentina has been filled with disappointment. In the 2010 World Cup, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Germany. In 2011, as hosts of the Copa America, they lost to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
Three years later, Argentina reached the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil, with Messi as captain. But Germany defeated them again, this time in extra time. Messi won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player, but it was little comfort since they fell short of victory.
In 2015, Argentina reached the Copa America final, only to lose to Chile in a penalty shootout. The following year, in the 2016 Copa America Centenario, they faced Chile again in the final. This time, Messi missed his penalty, and Argentina lost, marking Messi’s third final loss in three years and his fourth overall. Heartbroken, he announced his retirement from international football, saying, “I tried my hardest… I want to win a title with the national team, but it didn’t happen.”
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To Argentina’s relief, Messi reversed his decision a month later and played a key role in their qualification for the 2018 World Cup. In a crucial final game against Venezuela, Messi scored a hat-trick, securing Argentina’s spot in the tournament.
However, the 2018 World Cup ended in disappointment, as Argentina struggled through the group stage and was knocked out by France in the round of 16.
Copa America 2021
Messi finally found success with Argentina in 2021. Before that, Argentina finished third in the 2019 Copa America, with Brazil winning the title.
In the 2021 Copa America final, Argentina and Brazil faced off, and with Messi at 34, many wondered if this would be his last Copa America—or even his last international tournament.
Messi led Argentina to victory, winning the final 1-0 over Brazil thanks to Angel Di Maria’s goal. This ended Argentina’s long trophy drought, with their last Copa America win dating back to 1993 when Messi was just seven.
After the final, an emotional Messi said, “It’s unbelievable. I always knew this day would come. The happiness is immense. I’ve dreamed of this so many times.”
He added, “I told Fideo (Di Maria) he would get his moment today. This win is also for my teammates who came so close before.”
Messi praised coach Lionel Scaloni, saying, “He put together a winning team and deserves our gratitude.”
| Competition | Titles | Year |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 1 | 2022 |
| Finalissima (UEFA-CONMEBOL trophy) | 1 | 2022 |
| Copa America(South American title) | 2 | 2021,2024 |
| Olympic gold medal | 1 | 2008 |
| FIFA Under-20 World Cup | 1 | 2005 |
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