Miss Lionel Messi when he's gone? We miss him already

On Thursday, Lionel Messi gave the Monumental crowd and Argentina as a whole a send-off to remember as he lit up Núñez. On Tuesday, the Albiceleste were reminded exactly what they will be missing when the little genius finally decides to call it a day.

In all fairness, that 'farewell' against Venezuela was more than touch contrived, not to mention handy for the AFA to guarantee another sell-out for what was otherwise a dead rubber with Argentina safely qualified. It is true that the 3-0 win, which Messi marked with his 113th and 114th international goals – a tally which surely will never be beaten (unless human cloning is perfected in the future and another Leo can somehow be created) – was his final appearance in a competitive match on Argentine soil but that does not mean we have seen the last of him.

Argentina's only home games 'for the points' come in World Cup qualifiers and thanks to the curious set-up of the 2030 finals where the nation will host exactly one game they gain automatic passage to the tournament – making it inevitable that he will not be around again, unless he miraculously keeps going as a 43-year-old and plays in that fixture (though at this point, we'd be foolish to wholly rule it out). Still, there was more than a touch of nostalgia in the air, none more than when he opened the scoring with a delightful chip that left four Venezuelans flailing. Lautaro Martínez came off the bench to add Argentina's second before Messi rounded off the rout by converting a sublime collective move that showed off Lionel Scaloni's team at its finest and most fluid.

That is the good out of the way; now, I'm afraid, we have to cover the bad. Messi dropped out of the final qualifier, safely crowned as the competition's top scorer with eight goals, and in his absence Argentina floundered as they went down to defeat against Ecuador. His was not the only meaningful absence. Thiago Almada, who has deputised in superb fashion for the No. 10 across the qualifiers, was also grounded with a muscle complaint, depriving Scaloni of both his creative livewires. He chose to pack the midfield while leaning on teenage ace Franco Mastontuono to get the team going but the result was a flat performance from start to finish.

To make matters worse, Cristian Romero's suspension meant Argentina lined up with the unfamiliar central partnership of Leonardo Balerdi and Nicolás Otamendi, who were run ragged in the first half – culminating in the latter losing track of the ancient Enner Valencia and Otamendi over-compensating by pulling him down with a clear way towards the net, leading to an inevitable red card that left the visitors on the ropes. Nicolás Tagliafico was caught up in the malaise of the evening and committed a clumsy foul in the box just before the break, the resulting penalty converted by Valencia for the game's only goal. Even when Moisés Caicedo saw red to even up the numbers the Albiceleste rarely looked like getting back into the game and on balance were probably fortunate to hear the final whistle still trailing by one goal.

It was not a humiliating defeat by any means. Ecuador have been exceptional throughout this campaign under the stewardship of the golden-maned Sebastián Beccacece, like Scaloni a former member of Jorge Sampaoli's backroom staff during his ill-fated Argentina tenure. The Tricolor conceded just five goals in 18 games and finished second behind Argentina to qualify easily, in spite of a three-point deduction right at the start of qualifying. But they represent the kind of challenge the Albiceleste will have to overcome, structured, disciplined and dangerous on the break, if they wish to defend their World Cup title in eight month's time. 

They are capable, no doubt. But the presence of certain key players will be crucial. That means Romero, his ideal defensive foil, the injury-plagued Lisandro Martínez and Almada; and, of course Messi himself, whose last dance is fully underway as he enters the farewell phase of what has been an almost impossibly glory and plaudit-laden career. Miss him when he's gone? We miss him already.