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Lionel Messi made the decision to retire from the Argentina national team in 2016 after a series of near successes that did not result in trophies.
The Copa America final defeat against Chile in 2016 was the final straw for the playmaker, and he chose to leave La Albiceleste. Edgardo Bauza was the man who convinced Messi to play with the Argentines once again.
In three consecutive summers, Lionel Messi had lost one trophy after another, coming so close to winning an international title. The forward led Argentina to the World Cup final against Germany in 2014.
However, an extra-time goal from Mario Gotze was enough to see them crash out. La Albiceleste also ended up crashing out of two Copa America finals on penalties in 2015 and 2016.
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As per Mundo Deportivo, Edgardo Bauza was the coach that convinced Messi to come out of retirement and return to the national. The coach was hired after Tata Martino's exit and is credited with changing Messi's mind.
Surprisingly, Bauza only oversaw eight games as the manager of the national team. However, he will always be remembered for bringing La Pulga back into the fold. After returning, Lionel Messi won the Copa America in 2021 and he is now one game away from winning the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup.
It has been over three decades since the coveted global trophy made its way to Argentina and a win over France on 19 December will be a huge achievement for the nation.
Lionel Messi's words when he retired from the Argentina national team
Speaking in the aftermath of their loss to Chile at the Copa America finals in 2016, the Argentine made it clear that he would leave the Abiceleste. When he was asked about the country's misfortune in important games, Messi responded (via Mundo Deportivo):
“There are already four finals that I have to lose, three in a row. The truth is that it is a pity but it did not happen and that's it. I looked for it, it was what I wanted the most, it's incredible, but unfortunately, it was not given to me. The selection is over for me."
