Messi hasn't surpassed the hype somehow. He's been contending for "the best player ever title" for a few years now. Yet, he has underperformed with the Argentina team for now.
If he doesn't win a world cup before he retires, this will stick.
Yeah that's a good point I never really think of Messi and Argentina, he should've just played for Spain...
But at the same time, I've found that international football has become very strange in the last ten years or so. Not sure what it is but players just don't seem to perform for their countries like they do their club (could be the ridiculous wages). There have been no stand out players at the last few major tournaments - not since Ronaldo in 2002 anyway. Messi like you mentioned is an example but also Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho when he was on form years ago never played well at world cups. Teams like France, Italy, Argentina, Brazil have just disappeared.