A life-size Lionel Messi statue is unveiled by CONMEBOL and will reside in their headquarters in Asunción, Paraguay. Messi, holding a replica of the World Cup trophy, stood beside the life-size statue at an unveiling ceremony for the best player in the world at the headquarters in Luque, Paraguay before the Copa Libertadores draw on Monday.
“I had never dreamed or thought about this,” Messi said. “My dream was to enjoy what I liked when I was little, to be a professional soccer player, to do what I always loved in this life. I had a very long road, many decisions and defeats, but I always looked ahead and wanted to go for a triumph, for a victory. I think that is the most important thing, to fight for your dreams, that everything is possible and to enjoy the game, which is the most beautiful thing there is.”
Lionel Messi stepped out of Diego Maradona’s shadow by leading Argentina to World Cup victory last year and a statue of the forward will stand alongside those of Maradona and Pele, two of South America’s exceptional gems at the South American federation’s museum. The Argentina players and coach Lionel Scaloni also received miniature trophies of the World Cup and the Copa America, which they won in 2021.
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Here is how Fans reacted after Lionel Messi’s statue was unveiled
The Argentine Football Federation renamed the national team’s training facility after Messi on Saturday, two days after he scored his 800th career goal in a 2-0 friendly win over Panama. Messi has scored 99 goals for his country and is set to score a century which would make him the first Argentina player to achieve the feat.
Argentina faces Curacao next in the friendlies on Tuesday and will hope to keep the momentum going after a straightforward 2-0 win against Panama. The squad will rely on its number 10 to produce the magic moments and World Cup-winning qualities.
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