Lionel Messi will always look back on the 2014 FIFA World Cup with mixed emotions.

Having only been 19 years old at the 2006 edition and struggling for form four years later in South Africa, the 2014 tournament looked to be the perfect moment for Messi to win the biggest trophy of all.

Besides, many football fans and pundits alike believe that winning the World Cup is invaluable in the conversation of the greatest players of all time with both Pele and Diego Maradona becoming world champions.

2014 FIFA World Cup

And Messi came within a nose-hair of joining those South American greats at the table of World Cup winners, suffering a heartbreaking defeat in the Maracana final against Brazil.

Argentina had a number of key chances to win football's biggest match - we're looking at you, Gonzalo Higuain - but Mario Gotze's extra-time winner ultimately gave Germany the glory.

You only had to look at Messi's demeanor after the game to see that coming so close to a historic achievement was a massive blow to his morale, but there were still plenty of positives to be had.

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Mixed emotions for Messi

After all, Messi was at least given the consolation of the Golden Ball award for the best player at the tournament when he made the walk that no player ever wants to for their runner-up medal.

And we're inclined to think the decision to award Messi the top individual prize has aged like a fine wine because he was simply unplayable throughout Argentina's impressive run in Brazil.

However, of all the special moments that Messi produced that summer, from his curtain-raising goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina to his stunning Nigeria free-kick, we think that the semi-final takes the biscuit.

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'The happiest Messi ever seen'

And we say that because a spine-tingling video of Messi's Argentina winning that blockbuster clash with the Netherlands has been going viral this week courtesy of Twitter user @CrewsMat19.

In fact, it's sparked some pretty emotional reactions from football fans with the caption of 'the happiest Messi ever seen' making us all wonder what might have been. Check it out down below:

Football fans getting emotional

One fan replied: "Gonzalo Higuain I will never forgive you."

Another tweeted: "This just makes it worse man. If Messi won the world cup he would be the undisputed."

A third wrote: "Deep down within me... it feels like this guy is more passionate about Argentina than he is about it Barcelona. But somehow somehow his best hasn’t always been enough for Argentina."

A fourth penned: "I really want him to be happy again, just like he's happy in this one!!"

And another uploaded: "And some people would dare to question his commitment for Argentina. Look at him crying man. There's something so crude and pure in that tears." 

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If only, if only. To anybody who doubts Messi's commitment to Argentina, then they needn't look any further than his heart-on-the-sleeve reaction to guiding his nation to their first World Cup final in 24 years.

It might not have led to the World Cup trophy that so many fans wanted for Messi, but at least he collected plenty of happy memories along the way.