Messi can win over Argentine fans at Copa America

Believe it or not, Lionel Messi has something to prove in his native Argentina - demonstrating that he's still the world's greatest player when wearing the famous blue-and-white shirt.

He's not even the country's best-loved player.

Messi starts romancing the crowds when Argentina opens the three and half-week Copa America - the South American championship - against Bolivia on Friday.

Messi has rarely managed to replicate his Barcelona form with Argentina - and never when it counts. Argentina was bundled out of last year's World Cup in a humiliating 4-0 loss in the quarter-finals to Germany, and Messi didn't score a goal in the entire tournament.