Lionel Messi is a happy man. Just look at his face during the long interview he gave to the Argentinian media Ole to realize it. More than a month after his coronation at the 2022 World Cup, the 35-year-old footballer is still on cloud nine, having fulfilled the dream of a lifetime. “I was waiting a lot for this moment. After so long in the national team, the previous World Cups, having been so close also in 2014, having seen it pass so close without being able to do what I did in this last one. Behind that, there were a lot of sacrifices, a lot of defeats, a lot of difficult moments, which I had to go through. It was a great situation.”
The player born in 87 is very proud of his team which was up to the task against France, the reigning world champion. “In the final, we played a great match. It’s not the first time we’ve played this way, but in a world final and against France, it makes it even more important. But it’s not something that surprises us because we knew we were capable of that. Once the title was won, the Argentinian was able to celebrate in the country with his teammates and loved ones.
Messi defends Argentina
He then received a nice tribute from PSG, where his teammates, staff and club employees gave him a guard of honor before receiving a trophy from the hands of Luis Campos. “I’m not comfortable with these things. Although obviously I appreciate it and it was something very nice. I’m a little ashamed to be the center and to be treated this way. But it was good to have the recognition of all the people who work there with us and of my colleagues from Paris.” The 2022 world champion, who admitted to having very good relations with Kylian Mbappé, took the opportunity to settle a few accounts in passing.
Indeed, he did not appreciate that his country was the target of criticism after the World Cup. The attitude and the lack of fair play of the Argentine players on the pitch and during the celebrations, in particular Emiliano Martinez, have been singled out. “It seems unfair to me that this message was installed because it is not true, affirms the Parisian player. Because nobody gave us anything for free and we always behaved in an exemplary way, on and off the pitch. The people (in the team) were awesome and behaved better than ever. And I think they talk because of what happened with the Netherlands, that’s where it all starts.”
He points to the Netherlands
He pursues : “but nobody says anything about what happened before the game with these statements (from the Dutch and from Louis van Gaal), what happened during the game and what happened during the shots to the goal also, of their provocations. They didn’t have any kind of fair play. They are the ones who spoke and who wanted to destabilize our players when we were going to take the penalties. Everyone talks about what Argentina did after their victory but no one talks about it. It seems to me that we should watch the film carefully and see what happened and then comment and establish that we did not know how to win.
Indeed, during this meeting against the Netherlands, Messi, who did not digest Louis van Gaal’s criticism of the Albiceleste before the match, fell out with Wout Weghorst. He also put it back in place after the final whistle while he was in an interview. But Messi, who has said nothing about the behavior of Dibu Martinez, no longer wants to pay attention to it, he who savors his coronation. “My children partied like Dibu. Even today, I see videos of the festivities and it excites me. The fact that the final ended like this made the Argentine people explode with happiness. Everyone wanted the country to be champions and millions of people took to the streets to celebrate. Crazy things could have happened, people tried to jump from the bridges onto the buses. I loved every moment.” The World Cup page is not yet turned for Messi.
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