The Argentina international has reached great heights, but 10 years ago today he had a rough start to his national team career, writes Nacho Catullo.
With 18 minutes gone in the second half, Lisandro Lopez, the ex-Racing player who now plays for Internacional in Brazil, left the field. In his place came on, wearing the number 18 that matches his age, the man everybody wants to see. Lionel Messi debuted with the Argentina national team after having won the U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands two months before.
The rival is Hungary - the same team against which Diego Maradona debuted in 1977 - and the match is at 2-1 in favor of Jose Pekerman's Argentina.