Lionel Messi did not hide his emotion after the 2-1 victory over England in the World Cup semi-finals and highlighted the determination of the Argentine national team. “We, Argentinians, are like this; we always want more, we always ask for more. And if we had lost to England, there would have been people saying something silly, and we didn’t give them a chance. We were lucky to win. Because we knew that with football, we were better than them. But many things come into play when it’s a match of this magnitude. Where historical things happen, but without bringing them into football. But it remains special for everything it means, and we had to win,” he emphasized. “All finals are special. It is very beautiful to live it all again. It is crazy what this group has achieved, two World Cup finals in a row,” said the captain of Argentina, highlighting the rare achievement: “On a personal level, playing three World Cup finals is something that few footballers have managed. Even more so because of how the World Cup unfolded, how today’s game was, and for having beaten the opponent we did. Incredible things happened.” The Argentine star made a point of praising the team’s journey in recent years, defending their status. “Let people continue to enjoy. We are world champions, we are the best in the world for these four years, no matter who it hurts and what they say. This shows that what we did is not by chance and that no one gave us anything,” he declared. “Even though we said it was just a football game, I believe that during the anthem we began to feel different, special things. No one wanted to lose, and the Argentine people wanted this joy; they did not want to lose to England. Thank God, we managed to keep them out, and we will play another World Cup final,” he confessed. Messi highlighted the team’s resilience: “When the situation got tough, we went back to look for the result. We did not stop trying; we played a lot when we were losing and pushed them back to their goal. It is an enormous happiness,” he insisted. Despite the public’s skepticism, he said he never stopped believing: “There were many people who did not trust this group, but I never stopped believing. I know what these guys are capable of, and when we are together, we draw strength from where we have none. This group always competes at the highest level.” Emotion was palpable as he spoke about family. “I just spoke with my dad, my mom, my uncles, some of my brothers who are there. That also makes it special, living it in a different way. A lot of happiness in the family and giving another joy to the Argentinians,” said the number 10. “I did everything to arrive in the best way. I have been preparing for a year. I spend December in Argentina and train in the morning and afternoon. I knew I would give everything to arrive in the best shape and be able to enjoy it,” he explained.
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