- By Manik Sharma
- Sat, 02 Dec 2023 10:27 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Almost a year after leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup, Lionel Messi reflected on the challenging journey and transforming criticism into adoration in his homeland.
"I had a bad time. My family and the people who love me did too. [Critics in Argentina] were very unfair to a generation of players, and they said a lot of bad things about me. I'm not spiteful," Messi said, highlighting the triumph of winning over the Argentine people in an interview for the "Champions, a Year Later" special on Disney Star+.
"Today 95% or 100% of Argentines love me, and that's a beautiful feeling," Messi added.
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Reflecting on his illustrious career with Barcelona, Messi highlighted that winning the World Cup with Argentina was his ultimate dream.
"It is the thing most everyone desires. Everyone dreams big, and the biggest is to be world champion with your national team," Messi expressed.
"I was lucky to achieve everything at the club level with Barcelona and also at the individual level. This was the only thing that eluded me. There are very few players who can say that they have achieved everything and thanks to God I am one of them," Messi added.
Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005, and his first major tournament victory came in 2021, clinching the Copa América by defeating Brazil in the final. The journey included heartbreaks like defeats in the 2011 and 2016 Copa América tournaments.
"If you put in the effort, sacrifice, work, and humility, in the end, you achieve your goals," Messi gave the mantra for success in team sport.
While Messi considered retirement after the 2022 World Cup, he now expressed a strong desire to be with the team. The Copa America, particularly the 2016 edition held in the United States, holds bittersweet memories for Messi. Argentina reached the final but lost to Chile on penalties.
"As long as I feel good and I can continue to deliver, I’m going to do it (continue playing with Argentina)," Messi told ESPN.
"Then time will tell whether I’ll be at the World Cup or not. I’m going to be at an age (39) that normally doesn’t allow me to play in the World Cup," he added.
The upcoming Copa America will include six guest teams from CONCACAF, with Argentina awaiting the draw on December 7 to discover their opponents.
