Prior to Argentina’s opening FIFA World Cup 2022 match against Saudi Arabia, Lionel Messi acknowledged that he would like to win the prestigious tournament.
When he led Argentina to the Copa America 2021 victory last year, the former Barcelona captain earned his first-ever major championship.
And now that he is entering his fifth World Cup of his career, which he freely concedes will be his last, Messi, 35, has his sights set on realizing his greatest ambition.
“Because it’s the final World Cup, this one is meaningful to me. In the pre-game press conference, the PSG superstar declared, “I will try to realize my enormous goal.
There was a momentary injury concern around Messi ahead of tomorrow’s game, but the 35-year-old has allayed such worries by announcing that he is entirely well and fine and that it was just a slight bump.
I’m in excellent physical shape. I believe my arrival is a terrific one, both physically and personally. I don’t experience any issues. I changed how I trained because I received a blow, but nothing seems weird. It was a preventive measure, he said.
When Argentina’s team lost to Germany in the World Cup finals in 2014, Messi came very close to taking home the trophy.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner said that this squad reminded him of the 2014 squad going into this competition and that the Albiceleste were at ease thanks to their recent run of success.
“I don’t know if we arrived better, but winning gives you confidence when you do. This group has a lot of similarities to that of 2014. A very comparable team that was well-coordinated and knew exactly what it was doing on the field and what it wanted… When you go out to play, it gives you a lot of confidence,” he remarked.
Additionally, Messi stated that he wanted to enjoy the competition and that he would advise the younger players to do the same, stressing the need to unwind and take it all in.
I’m not sure if this is the happiest time in my career, but I’m feeling happy… I want to experience everything fully and make the most of any opportunity that arises. The more I think about it now, the more I believe I adore it all. Many significant events in my career went undetected in the past,” he stated.
Currently, it’s challenging to convince debutants that they should take advantage of the situation, Messi continued. “I hope they enjoy their trip because the World Cup is unique and you never know when you’ll get to experience it again. They should really savor the event, the participants, and the game.
Argentina, who was placed in Group C, will play Saudi Arabia tomorrow before playing Mexico, led by former Barcelona manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino. They will finally face Robert Lewandowski’s Poland team.
