Dr. Lionel and Mr. Messi

While eliminating France is not something I thought Argentina were capable of, it's not an exaggeration to say they were a letdown in this World Cup nonetheless, and many factors are to blame. Sampaoli wasn't able to coalesce all of his star players into a cohesive unit and tried a different attacking formation every game. 

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Astute observers will also point out to the two different players in the same person - Lionel Messi. A star performer on another level for Barcelona, and yet a constant disappointment for the national team.

One of the reasons Barca's Messi is so successful is because a major part of his career was spent with two world class midfielders constantly supporting him - Xavi and Iniesta. Both were a regular fixture for several years in the Ballon D'or top 5, and Messi is truly lucky for that. Very few attacking players, if any, have that sort of support. Alas, neither are Argentinian, so Messi can't use the same passing game he's used to when wearing his country's colors. 

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But then you have another problem, and it's one that Lionel Messi fans are unable or unwilling to admit - he's no leader. He can't carry a team on his back when they're out of ideas, and he can't put them in an attacking frenzy by the mere sound of his voice, like Maradona used to do. Messi is still the same shy, introverted guy that wore the number 19 shirt while playing alongside Ronaldinho and Deco with that old Barcelona side.

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Juan Veron, one of Argentina's finest midfielders in the 90's and early 2000's, echoed the sentiment in a recent interview. He singled out Messi's quiet and unassuming demeanor as the reason why he'll never be as great as Maradona. He might have Maradona's technical polish (and in some ways, maybe even surpasses it), but his mental disposition is one of "going with the flow", rather than dictating the tempo.

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Another accusation leveled against Messi, whenever he's playing for his country, is nonchalance. In large swaths of various, critical Argentina games, he can be seen strolling around the pitch, as if he landed there by mistake, unable to ascertain how he got there. While many of his compatriots are running their asses off, he's walking around, waiting for the ball to come to him, often dropping too deep into midfield, where his influence is reduced.

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That's not to say he never plays well for Argentina. He's his country's all-time leading goalscorer, and often scores spectacular goals for them. That said, he has a tendency to drift out of the game in critical moments and in critical tournaments. Keep in mind - Messi has already retired from his national team once after failing to win a single title, despite reaching several finals.

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All-in-all, Barcelona's Messi and Argentina's Messi don't seem to be the same person. Two different players occupying the same body. One is a once in 20-30 years sort of Maestro, effortlessly cruising past tough defensive lines like they're not even there. The other - a shy player who, in important moments, stands around and hardly does anything noteworthy or meaningful. That's why it's still a stretch to call him the greatest player of all times, even though I'm sure many still would.