5 things that could have happened if: Lionel Messi played for India

#2 Messi would not have qualified for WC

Messi was banned for abusing the referee against Bolivia

It looks unlikely that Messi and Argentina will make it to the 2018 World Cup after a 2-0 loss to Bolivia, which saw the Barcelona star lose his temper at the referee and have a verbal confrontation with him. And with Messi’s suspension, it looks all the more unlikely.

This is a team that have world class players like Angel di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and many more. And yet, they are struggling to qualify for the World Cup.

Whereas, if Messi was Indian, he would have compatriots that would struggle to challenge for a berth in the starting XI of the Fourth Tier of football in England. Hence, it is only fair and logical to assume that playing in the Blue jersey of India would have deprived 5-time Ballon d’Or winner of ever playing in a World Cup.

Despite the fact that the other Asian teams aren't as strong as the South America ones, qualifying would still be an issue because no matter how good Messi is, one man can only carry a team so far.