Is Lionel Messi destined to fail with Argentina?

Just as in the World Cup final in 2014 and the Copa America final of 2007, Lionel Messi was unable to impose himself on the game when Argentina needed him most. He did at least score in the harrowing 4-1 penalty shootout defeat, but the 22-year wait for a major tournament win continues.

It's a fact that feels completely incongruent with the unprecedented success Messi has enjoyed at Barcelona and also with the level of talent Argentina have produced in recent years.

Now 28-years-old, there is a distinct possibility that Messi will never win a major international tournament. If that is the case, what does it mean about him and does it rule him out of contention for the title of "greatest player ever"?

Messi is undoubtedly a brilliant player who has enjoyed so much success with Barcelona - but he has been accompanied by some great players. First Ronaldinho, then several Spanish World Cup winners like Xavi and Andres Iniesta, now Brazilian Neymar and Uruguan Luis Suarez.

Would Messi have done as well, breaking scoring records galore and winning tons of silverware at another club?

Would he have been able to do what Maradona did at Napoli and lift the southern Italian club out of mid-table mediocrity and make the sum of its parts better than the individuals, inspiring them to two Serie A titles?

Former Argentina coach Sergio Batista fell on his sword when he said he wanted Argentina to play like Barcelona before their ignominious quarter-final loss on penalties to Uruguay in the 2011 Copa America that cost him the job.

But he must have had a point, that Messi needed the right context to bring out the best in him for Argentina and his successors on the bench have continued with the quest without quite finding the key. (Reuters)

Argentina head coach Gerardo Martino: "This is one of the best [sides ever], not just one of the many Argentine sides in history but one of the best. Unfortunately in football you're judged by your achievements, so obviously they'll be more highly regarded if they get the chance to win something."

Chile head coach Jorge Sampaoli: ""The idea of the match was to neutralise their important players, including the best player in the world. I'm sure that if Argentina had got the chance to dominate, Messi would have shown that he is the best player in the world," Sampaoli said. "One defeat, one lost final, isn't going to change what Lionel Messi is."

Argentina forward Ezequiel Lavezzi: "At some point Leo [Messi] is going to win something with Argentina. We thought this was an opportunity to make our mark, but unfortunately we could not. It hurts a lot. Once again we are left with a bitter taste. It hurts because we believed that this was the chance to win something."

Delfin Melero (MARCA): "The final in Santiago will only provide further ammunition for the critics. Like last year in Rio, Messi failed to turn up. The penalty was about the sum of his contributions. The 'Albiceleste' looked for him all night, but Jorge Sampaoli's plan to nullify him worked wonders."

Vicente L Panetta (Fox Sports): "Messi looked nothing like the star that he is with Barcelona on Saturday, and Argentina lost the Copa America final to Chile 4-1 on penalties, extending the 22-year title drought. The four-time world player of the year scored his team’s lone goal in the penalty shootout, but had a lackluster performance in regulation and extra time, failing to spark his teammates to victory."

Joey Gulino (Yahoo! Sports): "What Lionel Messi does not do for Argentina is among the loudest, most tired topics in world soccer, and it will only get louder in light of the latest failure. Even if he never wins a trophy for La Albiceleste, Messi can lay convincing claim to being the greatest player of all time."

There has to be some perspective when attributing Argentina's final failures with Lionel Messi. The fact they have got into three of them in the last eight years shows how good a side they have been with Messi in the team. Despite losing to Chile on penalties, Argentina's Copa America run has taken them top of the FIFA rankings and Messi has played his part in that.

It's true that he can be stopped more easily when playing for Argentina than for Barcelona but that would be true of anyone. Messi still has time to add international prizes to his huge haul of domestic trophies and you'd be foolish to bet against him.