It is already an iconic image of the Copa America.

The Argentine team stood at the center circle, hands over one another's shoulders looking on as Gonzalo Higuain prepared the second penalty of the night. One man stood alone and as he watched his teammate whistle his shot well over the bar, he turned from the scene, his back to his team. He cut an isolated figure, looking exhausted and defeated.

For Lionel Messi, this match was one of the low points of his career. Just a month after conquering Europe and leading Barcelona to its second treble in less that 10 years, he was once again in a position he thought (and frankly the entire world likely thought) he would not taste again quite so quickly.

The Copa America, like the World Cup last summer, was lost in the final game. Moreover, for the second straight year, Messi was nowhere to be seen.

It is quite interesting to compare the superstar's work with club and country and the last four finals he has appeared in seem to be quite potent points of reference.

In the Copa del Rey Final, Messi scored a brilliant goal, dribbled not around, but through Athletic Bilbao's defense before ripping the ball into the back of the net. He would add another goal late in the game to finish off Bilbao and win the second title of Barcelona's season.

He was more quiet in the Champions League final against Juventus, but it was his darting run and blistering shot that Gianluigi Buffon failed to hold on to and allow for Luis Suarez to put away. Messi also launched the long ball that led to the counter on Barcelona's final goal.

For those keeping track, it was also Messi who scored the game winner against Atletico Madrid in the game that won Barcelona Spain's La Liga.

Yet Messi simply could not replicate similar magic on bigger stages for his national colors.

In Brazil, he faded against Germany, firing four shots off target and completing just 70 percent of his passes. He looked exhausted throughout that tournament, fading as it progressed deeper and deeper. He infamously fired a free kick over the bar in the waning seconds of the game; it was at a distance that he often scored from while wearing Barcelona's colors.

In the Copa America, it seemed the story would be inversed. Messi started slowly, despite scoring his only goal, before slowly finding his best form. In the semifinal, he was involved in all six goals against Paraguay, despite failing to put one away himself.

However, he could not find that form in the final, cutting a frustrated form and looking increasingly isolated throughout the game.

It was another failure for Messi and one that could leave his legacy somewhat tainted. He will always be the best for Barcelona. Of that no one can have any doubts. He might even be the greatest in club soccer history.

However, he has yet to match that output on the international stage, the stage on which greats like Pele and Diego Maradona will seemingly always have the upper hand on him.

Next summer Argentina will head to the Copa America, but one wonders whether the team will ship out its A-team to the tournament. This tournament has no major implications on the 2017 Confederations Cup, so Messi might get a chance to rest for two straight summers before the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

By the time 2018 rolls around, he will be 31. Much of the core of this side, the so-called Golden Generation will be old as well. Sergio Aguero will be 30. Carlos Tevez, who barely got a chance in this tournament will be 34. Javier Pastore will be 29. Lucas Biglia will be 32. Angel Di Maria will be 30 years old. On the bac-end, Pablo Zabaleta will be 32, Javier Mascherano will be 34, Nicolas Otamendi will be 30 and goalie Sergio Romero will be 31.

That is a lot of players either at the tail-end of their careers or nearing the end of their respective primes.

Messi will likely never be in the kind of form he was in during this tournament. He has never been this good in an international tournament for Argentina and he certainly proved that scoring is not necessary for him to be at his best.

More importantly, even if he manages to stay a notch above the rest in 2018, who will he be feeding the ball to? Most of the players that were supposed to be the best of Argentina's history were rather mediocre throughout the tournament. How can one expect them to be any better in three year's time? What players will come in to replace them? Will they be anywhere near that quality? In essence, Argentina could but is unlikely to be a major contender for the 2018 World Cup. That ship has sailed. No need to mention the 2019 Copa America when this core will be even older and some of them will not even be on the team.

There are rumblings of Messi playing in next summer's Olympics and it could represent his final chance at having any semblance of glory with Argentina. It was in 2008 that he won his only major honor with the "senior" team. It would be a nice way to come full circle for a player that has never been able to take his nation to the level most hoped he would.