Argentina 'living in the present' as Chile clash at Copa America recalls Lionel Messi's lowest point

Argentina face Chile at MetLife Stadium, the site of their loss in the 2016 Copa America final that forced Messi to take a sabbatical from the national team

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Almost eight years ago to the day, Lionel Messi stood at MetLife Stadium moments after losing the 2016 Copa America final on penalties to Chile and made a declaration.

"For me, the national team is over," he said. "I've done all that I can."

The then-29-year-old superstar had well and truly assumed his duties as the leader of his national team, but the expectations from a country that demanded success clearly weighed heavy on him. The inevitably of failure was setting in -- it marked the third summer in a row that Argentina lost a major final, previously conceding the 2014 World Cup to Germany and the 2015 Copa America to Chile. As surprising as Messi's retirement was with several years ahead of him, it was hard not to buy his argument -- there probably was nothing else he could do.