Now, Lionel Messi belongs to Argentina too

Bengaluru, October 11: Lionel Messi had tamed situations before - mainly for Barcelona. He had scored 43 hat-tricks before Wednesday - mainly for Barcelona. Messi has been the Argentine lad who transformed himself into a legend in Spain.

On Wednesday (October 11), Argentina needed this legend. And Messi responded. He conquered Ecuador with a hat-trick -his 44th - as Argentina won the match 3-1 after conceding a goal in the first minute.

Ecuador 1 Argentina 3: Magical Messi hat-trick seals World Cup qualification

It was not a mere win. It ensured a berth for Argentina in the2018 FIFA World Cup to be held in Russia. Had Messi failed, it would have been a World Cup sans Argentina for the first time after 1970.

Dybala: I'm lucky to watch Messi up close

It was not a mere piece of Messi magic. You would have seen that countless times at Camp Nou. After all, he does that with mundane regularity there. But this performance, this hat-trick, was for Argentina in a crunch game. He raised his game much above the high altitude Estadio Olimpico.

In his time, Messi had featured in three major heartbreaks. In 2014, they lost to Germany in the World Cup final after Mario Goetze scored a goal late into the extra time. Then they lost two successive Copa America finals to Chile in penalties.

German football is pure science. Chile's game is based on competitiveness. But on those nights, those more prosaic qualities trumped the magic and Latin American skills of Argentina. Each more painful than the previous.

It led to divide in the Argentinian ranks and even forced Messi to call time on his international career, for a brief while though.

Celebration time pic.twitter.com/x3WQ4AwbXA

— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) October 11, 2017

Besides the personal pain, Messi would have been more hurt by the questions directed at his ability to lift his game for the country.

👑 #Messi ⚽️⚽️⚽️ = Argentina 🛫🛬 Mundial #Rusia2018 pic.twitter.com/rohC1TZAC9

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) October 11, 2017

Some even went to the extent that he is more loyal to Spain than Argentina. Many sniggered that Messi is just a 'club legend.'

Throughout his career, Messi had to live in the giant shadow of a 5'5 man - Diego Maradona. At every turn of his career, Messi was reminded: 'You're talented of course. But you haven't done THAT."

The THAT is winning the FIFA World Cup. Maradona had orchestrated Argentina's triumph in the biggest arena of football in Mexico in 1986. But Maradona did not have to deal with an Argentinian side that has several issues to solve right from lack of clarity and confidence.

But Messi has. He tackled the issues head on, fearlessly against Ecuador. Of course, the 4-1-4-1 formation of his rivals too gave open space to Messi and helped him connect with Angel di Maria with telling effect.

His first goal was the result of a one-two with the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. The equaliser calmed Argentina's nerves and rest was easy for Messi, who cajoled his teammates to rise above the water.

The effort also might have allowed the Argentines to realise the value of Messi. Now, the coiffured Barca star might be accepted in his homeland along with Maradona, Tevez, Kempes, the barrio boys.

Argentina's manager Jorge Sampaoli echoed it. "I have told the group that Messi does not owe Argentina a World Cup, but football owes the world to him. It is our fortune that the best player's nationality is Argentinian. He is the best player in the history of football," said Sampaoli.

Argentina certainly have the best player among them. But the Albiceleste is still far from being a settled unit. The big bash in Russia is still a few months away and they can now look to fine tune themselves with greater confidence.

They will have to be contend with Brazil, France and Germany in Russia. But at least now, Argentina have a chance. Lionel Messi has a chance.