Lionel Messi had a torrid time with the Argentina national team from 2014 to 2016. In each year Argentina reached the final of the major tournament they were playing in, but that positive was utterly overshadowed by their failure to lift any of the trophies. Argentina missed out on the 2014 World Cup against Germany and then lost both Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016 and both against Chile on penalties, with Messi missing his spot-kick in 2016, after which he announced he was retiring from international football.

Messi in tears after the Copa America 2016

Now, Elvio Paolorosso, the fitness coach of Argentina coach ’Tata' Martino at the time has told the story of what happened in the aftermath of that 2016 final and which shows exactly how traumatic the experience was for Messi.

"The dressing room after the Copa America was a very painful place, but the worst part of it came later. At 2 in the morning, more or less, I went to the boot room and I found Leo, alone, absolutely alone, crying like a little boy who's lost his mother. He was lying there, inconsolable. I hugged him and we cried for a while together”, Paolorosso said.