India, Aug. 31 -- At last, the dreadful day has come for football fans as Lionel Messi announces his retirement from international football. It's been a career of extraordinary achievements. 474 La Liga goals for Barcelona and 125 goals for Argentina! His control on the ball, the ability to find goals in the final third, and the ability to put his teammates through on goal. A complete footballer by all means.

But Messi wouldn't have been the big name he is today if he had not won the World Cup four years ago in Qatar. The biggest parameter that is used to judge international footballers is not how many leagues they have won or how many goals they have scored in those triumphs. What matters is whether or not they have won a World Cup. Tha...