Lionel Messi brought his legendary run with the Argentine national team to a close, capping off a career filled with goals, records, and, of course, the 2022 World Cup victory. Among the countless impressive statistics he leaves behind, there is one with a strong… Greek connection.
The Greek national team is on the short list of countries that Messi faced during his illustrious international career but against which he failed to score.
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The Argentine superstar’s only encounter with the “blue-and-whites” took place on June 22, 2010, at the World Cup in South Africa. Diego Maradona’s Argentina defeated Otto Rehhagel’s team 2-0 in Polokwane, thanks to goals by Martín Demichelis and Martín Palermo.
Messi played the entire match and was closely marked by Socrates Papastathopoulos, who was tasked with guarding him, though he was unable to find the back of the net against Alexandros Tzorkas. In fact, he hit the crossbar late in the game, with Palermo scoring on the ensuing play.
Since then, Greece and Messi have never crossed paths again at the national team level. Thus, after the end of his career with the “Albiceleste,” Greece remained among the few national teams the Argentine legend faced without managing to “hurt” them with any of the 126 goals he scored for his country.
*photo source: AP
