In the Argentine national team, Lionel Messi has had a hard time achieving the same success as in the club team Barcelona.
After four painful final losses - three in the Copa America and the World Cup final against Germany in 2014 - it looked for a long time that Messi would be completely without titles in the national team jersey.
But two events in recent months have caused the superstar to blossom into the national team and begin to arouse the Argentines' love like never before.
Argentina's first title in 28 years
Först bröts finalförbannelsen under sommarens Copa America. Argentina besegrade ärkerivalen Brasilien på klassiska Maracanã i Rio de Janeiro och tog sin första internationella titel på 28 år. Messi vann skytteligan och fick pris som turneringens bästa spelare. Därefter kom det smärtsamma uppbrottet från klubblaget Barcelona och flytten till Paris. Ett nytt kapitel i Messis fotbollsliv.
After winning everything with Barcelona and being forced to leave their beloved club, it is as if the national team has now become Messi's great passion.
And for the first time in his long successful career, Messi plays better in the national team than in the club team.
Messi seems to thrive very well under the leadership of national team captain Scaloni.
And interestingly enough, there is a lot that unites the two - both are called Lionel, come from Argentina's second largest city Rosario and started their football careers in the club Newell's Old Boys.
New more passionate Messi
När Argentina visade upp pokalen från Copa América inför hemmapubliken i Buenos Aires brast Messi ut i glädjetårar. Och det var något med bilderna på den känslosvallanden superstjärnan som slog gnistor i den argentinska fotbollssjälen. Det har tidigare varit svårt för Messi att skapa de där riktigt starka banden till argentinarna. Han lämnade landet redan som 12-åring och hann aldrig spela professionellt för någon inhemsk klubb.
And there's something about Messi's way: correct, cool, discreet.
A complete opposite of the one he is always compared to - the national icon Maradona.
The well-polished Messi has in Argentina been perceived as an overly European product, while Maradona with his genius and mistakes embodied the Argentine self-image.
But after the victory in the Copa América, a new more passionate Messi has shown himself to the Argentine audience.
Maybe he is now ready to shoulder the dreams of the whole football-crazy country.
Only World Cup gold counts
Here in Argentina, some even believe that Maradona's tragic death a year ago made it easier for Messi to blossom.
Now he does not have to move in Maradona's shadow all the time.
But for Messi to be as big as Maradona at home, there is really only one thing that counts - World Cup gold in Qatar 2022. And the next station on that journey is tonight's big meeting with Brazil.
REPORTAGE: See the full report from Messi's hometown:
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SVT visits Messi's hometown • "A great pride"