2023-12-01 17:16:00
2023-12-01
Almost a year after the World Cup that Argentina won in Qatar, Leo Messi gave an interview for Star+ and remembered everything he experienced in that competition. The Albiceleste captain referred to the spicy confrontation he had with Lewandowski, the controversial celebration against the Netherlands and also talked about the next World Cup in 2026. Will he be ready?
Messi points out the footballer who moved him the most: “He always came out with something different, his quality was superior to anyone else”
Previous frustrations
“I, my family, the people who love me had a bad time. It was very unfair to that litter and they said everything about me. I’m not spiteful. It is like a triumph for me to have changed that situation and won over all the people of Argentina. Today 95 or 100 percent of Argentines love me and that is beautiful.”
Your National Team present
“As long as I feel like I’m okay and can continue contributing, I’m going to do it. Today the only thing I think about is getting to the Copa América well and being able to compete in it. Fight it again like we always did, try to be champions.
I will always try to compete to the maximum and I am the first to know when I can be there and when I can’t. I am also aware that I went to a minor league, but a lot happens because of the personal and the way one faces it and competes.”
Messi kissing the World Cup he won with Argentina in Qatar-2022.
World Cup 2026
“Later time will tell if I am or not. I am going to arrive at an age (39 years old) that normally would not allow me to play in the World Cup. I said I don’t think I’m going to be there. It seemed that after the World Cup (Qatar 2022) I was retiring and quite the opposite. Now I want to be there more than ever. After suffering for so many years, today when we live a special moment that I have never experienced before, I want to enjoy it to the fullest. I feel good within the group, which is very united, very healthy. Who enjoys being together. I want to take advantage of all that, without thinking about two or three years, which in football is a lot.”
Will we see it at the 2026 World Cup?
“I’m not thinking about the World Cup and I’m not saying 100 percent that I won’t be there because anything can happen. Due to age, the most normal thing is that he is not there. Then we will see how far. Maybe we do well in the Copa América and everything is given for us to continue. Maybe not. Being realistic it is difficult.”
His crossing with Lewandowski in Qatar-2022
“The statements he made had bothered me because when I won the Ballon d’Or I said what I really felt. That he spoke the way he spoke, he bothered me. After the game we crossed paths and talked about it, the truth is that it was a misunderstanding. If I dribbled him again on that play, why was it him? Yes. At that moment he was upset, it seemed to me that it did not correspond.
Messi and Lewandowski had a tense exchange in Poland-Argentina in 2022.
What did they say?
“I don’t remember exactly what he said, but it wasn’t what he said. He was hot. Then he went to Barcelona, we met him while at the club, we talked about the team, the city and everything turned out well.”
The match against the Netherlands
”I didn’t play hot, it was a bit like what happened with Lewandowski. He bothers me when he talks to himself off the court and disrespects his opponent. I was never like that. A million things can happen to me on the field and it stays there. Before the game, I never did it and wanted to heat it up and disrespect it and I don’t like it when they do it to me. I think (Van Gaal) did it a bit on purpose, the goalkeeper had also spoken. “I don’t like those things.”
His controversial celebration
“El Topo Gigio was born to me there and I automatically regretted it. As soon as I did it, I said: ‘What an idiot, what do I have to do. The only thing missing is that we don’t win.’ “Those things tend to happen.”
1701455148
#upset #Lewandowski #Qatar2022 #controversial #celebration #future #Argentina