Lionel Messi's international career has paled in comparison to his club career.

The legendary Argentine forward has won 33 trophies with Barcelona but is still yet win any silverware for his country.

Messi has finished on the losing side in four international finals.

He's currently taking a break from the national team after Argentina were eliminated by France at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

In 2016, the 31-year-old retired from international football after losing to Chile on penalties in the Copa America final.

Messi missed a penalty in the shoot-out and was famously crying on the pitch.

And details have now emerged regarding what happened in the hours that followed.

Elvio Paolorosso, the Argentina fitness coach during Tata Martino's tenure, has recounted how he stumbled upon Messi at two in the morning.

"The dressing room after the Copa America was a very painful place, but the worst part of it came later," Paolorosso said, as per AS.

"At two in the morning, more or less, I went to the boot room and I found Leo, alone, absolutely alone, crying like a little boy who's lost his mother.

"He was lying there, inconsolable. I hugged him and we cried for a while together.”

It sounds heartbreaking - and perhaps Messi feels unable to take any more trauma from Argentina right now.

Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde admitted that Messi's ability to have a rest during the international break has come as a 'huge advantage'.

"Those players [who didn't play in the international break] didn't have that wear," he told reporters at a press conference, as per ​AS. "They've had more time to train, to rest.

"There's that tiring experience of travelling, a lot of air miles, other players have had to do that, so generally it's better for us, I won't deny that.

"We always expect the best from ​Messi, as we do from any player, regardless of whether there's a midweek game or not.

"We knew when players had to travel for their national teams and there are away games immediately afterwards, of course it's a huge advantage to have him rested for the last week.

Will Messi ever win anything with Argentina? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.