Lionel Messi nears under-the-radar historic feat as Spain phenom makes plea

Lionel Messi had to wait a long time for international glory. Now, as he nears the end of his illustrious career, he is on the brink of achieving a remarkable feat with Argentina.

Messi and La Albiceleste are set to face a Colombia team at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night led by former Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Everton playmaker James Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, now 33 and playing for Sao Paulo in Brazil after stints in Qatar and Greece, has seen his star fade over the past five years before his unlikely resurgence. In contrast, Messi has remained a constant force behind Argentina's pursuit of football's top honors.

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During his time with Barcelona, Messi won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues. However, international success eluded him for many years, most notably at the 2014 World Cup final in Rio Di Janeiro's Maracana, where Germany's Mario Gotze dashed his dreams in extra time.

As 2021 dawned, Messi was running out of time to fulfill his promise of bringing glory to his nation. But he finally laid the ghosts of the Maracana to rest when Angel Di Maria's goal secured victory for Argentina in the Copa America final against Brazil in the very same stadium.

At 34, Lionel Messi's golden era as an Argentina player was just kicking off. He played a pivotal role in leading his team to the World Cup final in Qatar in 2022, where he put on a stellar performance against France netting two goals before nailing the decisive penalty in the shootout to finally lift the coveted gold trophy.

Now, the tantalizing prospect of making more history looms large. If victorious on Sunday night, Argentina would become the first team to clinch back-to-back Copa Americas either side of a World Cup triumph, matching Spain's sensational streak from 2008-12 that saw them bag two European Championship titles and the 2010 World Cup.

Messi has bid adieu to the grueling demands of European football to join David Beckham's Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami. At 37, he may not be the same player who could single-handedly control the pace of a game while racking up an freakish quantities of goals and assists.

However, he still possesses the knack for turning the tide when it matters most, as evidenced by his goal in Tuesday's semi-final win over Canada that sealed Argentina's spot in Sunday's final.

Securing a second Copa America winner's medal could be the ideal way to end his international career. Yet, whether it will be his last match for his country remains uncertain, especially with the tantalizing prospect of the 2026 World Cup in North America looming.

"As I've said before, I intend to continue," Messi declared following the semi-final clash. "I intend to keep living day by day without thinking about what will come in the future or whether I'll continue or not. It's something I just live each day. I'm 37 years and only God knows when the end will be."

Meanwhile, Spain's teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal is rooting for Messi's triumph on Sunday. The heartwarming story of their connection surfaced recently with images showing a young Yamal being bathed by a then up-and-coming Messi.

While both left-footed phenomenons have followed the prestigious La Masia route to fame, it remains to be seen if they will be equally revered. With Yamal and Spain defeating England in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin earlier on Sunday, he also harbors aspirations of playing alongside his childhood hero.

"I hope Messi wins the Copa America and we win the Euros so I can play against him in the Finalissima," Yamal said, referencing the celebratory match between the winning teams from Europe and South America, which will be played next year.