HIBAPRESS-RABAT-FIFA
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Lionel Messi had a thunderous 2024 with club and country
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The 37-year-old Argentine star won the Supporters’ Shield with Inter Miami and the Copa América with Argentina
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2025 will also be full of challenges for the Albiceleste legend
“An unforgettable year. »
This is how Lionel Messi summed up his year 2024 on his Instagram account, a few hours before the last South American qualifying match for the 26 FIFA World Cup™ of the year, won 1-0 against Peru .
It was indeed a year and a memorable evening for the number 10, who once again thrilled the supporters at the Bombonera, the very stadium which gave him one of the greatest evenings of his career when he received a standing ovation from supporters after winning the 2021 Copa América.
“It’s the most incredible thing that has happened to me in my sporting career,” Messi said, in tears, as we can see in the documentary Be Eternal: Champions of America.
The Argentine star has just concluded his 21st year as a professional footballer. The unexpected elimination of Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer play-offs brought a premature end to Messi’s 2024 domestic campaign. And after starting in the last two qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup, the Pulga brought down the curtain on a 12-month adventure during which he won two titles, one with Inter Miami and other with his country.
The year 2025 promises to be full of challenges once again, with the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup™ in the sights. FIFA looks here at the past and near future of the tireless Albiceleste star.
Revolution in MLS: a second title and unfinished business
After his historic arrival in the United States, Messi won his first trophy with Inter Miami in 2023 and confirmed his domination of North American football in 2024 by winning the Supporters’ Shield, awarded to the best team of the season regular in Major League Soccer. The Herons finished the season with a record total of 74 points, after 22 wins and 4 draws, for only 8 defeats.
Although he only participated in half of the matches this season, Messi distinguished himself by winning the title of MVP, undoubtedly due to his 20 goals scored and 16 assists delivered in 19 matches (including 15 tenures).
After winning the regular season title, Inter Miami entered the second half of the season as heavy favorites, but their campaign was short-lived and ended with an early elimination against Atlanta United ( 5-3 in cumulative score) from the first round. This failure was a real shock for David Beckham’s team, who will seek redemption in 2025.
In addition to national competitions, including the Leagues Cup which they won in 2023, Messi and Inter Miami will also participate in the Concacaf Champions Cup, a title which could earn them a place in the next Intercontinental Cup. FIFA™.
But the biggest challenge for the Argentine and his partners will come on American soil on June 15, when they compete in the 32-team FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Co. will thus have the opportunity to compete against the best teams in the world.
Happiness also with Argentina
In the national team, and after many unsuccessful attempts, Messi finally repelled the curse in the Copa América and won the cup in 2021, at the Maracanã. This first title with the senior national team opened the door to a new success, the most grandiose and hoped for: the coronation of the FIFA World Cup™ in 2022 in Qatar.
The following year, Argentina dominated the South American qualifiers, including a 1-0 victory over Brazil at the Maracanã to hand the Seleção the first home defeat in its history in World Cup qualifying.
Then in 2024, the former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player was crowned South American champion again, even if he had to watch the last 25 minutes and the extra time of the final from the bench sidelined due to an ankle injury.
In total this year, Messi has played 11 matches with the Albiceleste, scoring six goals. He scored twice against Guatemala in a friendly in June (4-1) and scored in the Copa América semi-final against Canada in July (2-0). Author of a hat-trick against Bolivia during the October window of the qualifiers, he even tops the ranking of scorers in the qualifying campaign with six goals.
This “unforgettable” year 2024 has now ended with a 1-0 success over Peru at La Bombonera and a first place in the CONMEBOL qualifying rankings. If mathematically, nothing is yet decided, Argentina has in any case placed itself in the best position to participate in the tournament which will take place in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
We will now see if 2025 – then 2026 – will be as prolific for the legend who will celebrate his 38th birthday in June. The Albiceleste will return to the field for qualifying in March. There is no doubt with a rested Messi and satisfied with the work accomplished.
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