India, Oct. 7 -- An era has truly ended. The Argentina football team will not be the same without Lionel Messi. Diego Maradona made them a great footballing nation, but the country then had to wait decades for another player of his stature. Messi went beyond what Maradona achieved with Argentina. Debates will continue to swirl around the two players and their abilities, with opinions divided. But purely in terms of achievements, longevity and the legacy he has left behind, Messi has left them all behind. Few footballers can match what he brought to the table.

Messi's legacy with Argentina was much bigger than the 126 goals he scored. The tears in the eyes of coach Lionel Scaloni, Enzo Fernandez and other Argentine players during his fare...