Lionel Messi Reportedly Convinced Argentina Is Capable of Ending Title Drought at 2021 Copa America

Lionel Messi believes the Argentine national football team will end its title drought at the 2021 Copa America, Goal reported, without citing its sources. According to the sports website, the 33-year-old believes in the team’s new manager Lionel Scaloni and completely trusts the coaching staff. Messi reportedly thinks that with the players that have recently come to the fore - Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo de Paul, and rising star Lautaro Martinez - a competitive team will be formed, Goal writes.

According to Goal, Barcelona’s star believes the new national team is capable of great things in the upcoming football season and is excited to take another shot at winning international trophies.

Unlike his nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo, who has achieved success both at the club and international levels, Messi’s best result with Argentina is a second-place finish at the 2014 Football World Cup. He twice lost in the final at Copa America against Chile and last year the Argentine national team lost in the semifinals against Brazil. The title drought at the international level even prompted Messi to retire from the national team, but then the athlete changed his mind.

Goal claims that not only is Messi, 33, excited to participate in the 2021 Copa America, but also plans to play at the 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar. However, so far it is unclear whether the two tournaments will even take place, as initially the Copa America was scheduled for the summer of 2020, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.