Lionel Messi to continue his dominance in international football after leading Argentina to World Cup glory
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Lionel Messi kissing the World Cup trophy
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Lionel Messi led and inspired Argentina to its third-ever FIFA World Cup. In doing so, the magical No. 10 also ended the South American country’s 36-year-long wait for a World Cup. The finals Argentina played against France will go down as one of the best games in football history. While both teams had their chance to clinch victory with open arms, Argentina’s mentality and resilience made the difference for ‘La Albiceleste.’
The game between Argentina and France will go down as one of the best finals in World Cup history. While Argentina gained the lead early due to Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria, France equalized the score courtesy of a brace from Kylian Mbappe. As the game went into extra time, Messi once again scored, and just when the world thought Argentina would be champions, Mbappe scored to level the game 3-3. Next was a penalty shootout, and Argentinian goalkeeper Emi Martinez made the difference as he saved a shot, and the South Americans won the shootout 4-2. The mentality displayed by Argentina made the difference. All players from the South American team seemed desperate to win the competition for their talisman Lionel Messi.
Another reason behind the desperation was Messi’s announcement which signaled to many that he would retire from international football after the finals. “I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final. It’s many years for the next one and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it’s the best,” said Messi in an interview with Diario Deportivo Ole. This announcement made by Messi broke many hearts but probably inspired his teammates to give it their all and win the World Cup for him.
On December 18th, many were unprepared to witness Messi potentially play his last game in the blue and white stripes. However, after winning the World Cup, he made an announcement that made the day even better for his fans. In an interview, the 35-year-old revealed that he will not retire retiring from international football. Messi said that he wished to continue playing as a World Champion. This means fans will get to see the No.10 dominate the international circuit further. While the decision certainly made his fans and the entire Argentina happy, Messi will now focus on his club career with PSG.
Related: Lionel Messi and goalie Martinez win FIFA World Cup for Argentina in shootout
Lionel Messi will look to win the Champions League with PSG
At Qatar, Lionel Messi added the missing piece to the puzzle of his glorious career by winning the FIFA World Cup. While he also ended Argentina’s 36-year wait for World Cup glory, Messi will now look to end his club PSG’s long wait for the UEFA Champions League. Considered to be the most prestigious trophy in club football, the Paris-based club has never won a single Champions League trophy in its history.
Despite being successful domestically, Europe always seemed to be a distant dream for the French club. However, in 2011, Qatar Sports Investments purchased PSG, and the spirits rose. Spending a lot of money on recruitment, PSG brought in big-name stars to play for their team. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria, Neymar, and Mbappe played for the Parisians. But none could deliver them to the Champions League. The closest PSG came to winning the competition was in 2020 when they lost to Bayern Munich in the finals. However, this time, the Parisians have a real chance to win the most prestigious competition with Messi at the helm.
After Lionel Messi’s time at Barcelona ended last season, he moved to PSG on a free transfer. In what was an emotional switch for the Argentinian, Messi did not have the best of times in his first season in Paris, at least according to Messi’s standards. However, in his second and ongoing season, the ‘Little Lion’ from Rosario seems to have found his form as he displayed impressive performances for PSG. In his 19 appearances for PSG till now, Messi found the net 12 times and has dished out 14 assists. While PSG finds themselves on top of Ligue 1, they are also in the round of 16 in the Champions League and will play Bayern Munich in February 2023.
The game against Munich will certainly not be easy for the French club. However, with players such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar at the helm, PSG is capable of beating any team on the planet. While they have a very strong squad, the club has a lethal and motivated Lionel Messi, who will himself look to win the Champions League for the first time since 2015. Owing to his current form and mentality, the dream of winning Europe with the French seems possible for Argentina’s No. 1 footballer. Will Lionel Messi win the Champions League with PSG and go on to make a case for winning his 8th Balon d’Or? Well, this is a question only time can answer. Until then, over to the domestic season in world football.
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Varun Anand Bhat
(106 Articles Published)