The Argentina international has reached great heights, but 10 years ago today he had a rough start to his national team career, writes Nacho Catullo.

On August 16, 2005, with 18 minutes gone in the second half, Lisandro Lopez, the ex-Racing player who now plays for Internacional in Brazil, left the field. In his place entered, wearing the number 18 that matched his age, the man everyone wanted to see. Lionel Messi debuted with the Argentina national team after having won the U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands two months before.

The rival was Hungary - the same opponent Diego Maradona debuted against in 1977 - and the match was at 2-1 in favor of Jose Pekerman's Argentina. The manager was one of the biggest reasons this moment, Messi's international debut, came with the starlet wearing an Argentina shirt instead of suiting up for Spain. The goals had come on headers from Maxi Rodriguez and Gabriel Heinze, two players who like Messi have roots at Newell's Old Boys.

Barcelona's rising star went to the right and took a pass from Lionel Scaloni. Messi returned it first time, with his right foot. The fullback touched it toward the midfield. Lucho Gonzalez opened his legs and the ball fell to Bernardi, who again passed it to Messi, moving forward with his long hair. Messi looked ahead and wanted to combine with Andres D'Alessandro, but the Hungarians, managed by Lothar Matthaus, had their defense set up well and the attack didn't come off.

There were 12,000 people in the Ferenk Puskas Stadium, the ground named after the most important player in Hungary's history. It sits in Budapest, the capital of the Central European nation, only a few miles from the Danube River. None of those 12,000 could have imagined what was about to happen.

Argentina won back the ball and Bernardi found Messi, this time located as the No. 10. The player, wearing the 18, easily turned and drove toward the area, although he had defender Vilmos Vanczak right beside him. The Argentine raised his hands to fend off the unknown Ujpest FC defender, and German referee Markus Merk called a foul. Vanczak fell as though he was hit by sniper fire, then brought his hands to his face to check if there was blood. Messi understood nothing, after only touching the opponent with a slap across the chest.