Lionel Messi’s current quest for greatness is off to a bright start.

With Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Canada in the inaugural Copa America match, Lionel Messi’s current quest for international triumph in the latter stages of his career got off to a smooth start.

Messi didn’t win a major international tournament with Argentina until he was 34 years old, despite winning numerous club championships from a young age. Argentina won the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup.

Now that Messi’s team is heavily favored to win another Copa America, many are asking if this is his final dance on the grand stage.

It looks like Messi, who turns 37 next week, has everything set up.

Yearly competitors Brazil struggling, led by their captain, while Brazil is is loaded with talent. The Copa farewell is set for July 14 in Florida, where Messi will play his farewell game for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.

After the victory, Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni voiced his displeasure with the Mercedes-Benz Stadium pitch, claiming it was inappropriate for this caliber of play.

The stadium, home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United, typically features an artificial field, but before the competition began, a makeshift grass surface was put in place.

Although he contributed to both goals, the Argentine captain and talisman squandered a few good opportunities in Thursday night’s triumph.

“What matters is that we began the World Cup with a victory,” remarked Messi, whose team had suffered a shocking loss to Saudi Arabia at the beginning of the previous tournament.

Following his record-tying 35th appearance in the Copa America finals, he said, “We struggled a bit in the first half and the pitch didn’t help either.” “We’ll always give our best, sometimes playing better, sometimes worse, but always fighting our hardest.”

Messi’s expertly timed pass to Alexis Mac Allister set up Julian Alvarez’s first goal, and he then assisted Lautaro Martinez’s goal with another well-controlled through ball.

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