BUENOS AIRES - Lionel Messi won the World Cup because the sparkling solid gold trophy picked him to lift it, the Argentinian star said in a radio interview that was aired on Monday.
The 35-year-old inspired his country to World Cup glory in December by scoring two goals and a penalty in the South Americans’ shoot-out triumph over previous holders France following a thrilling 3-3 draw in Qatar.
“The Cup called out to me, it told me: ‘Come and grab me, now you can touch me’,” Messi told the Argentinian Urbana Play radio station.
“I saw it sparkling in that beautiful stadium and I didn’t hesitate to kiss it,” he added, referring to the stunning Lusail Stadium in Doha, where the final was played on Dec 18.
Messi finally lifted the trophy in his fifth and final World Cup tournament, having lost in the 2014 final to Germany.
He also played in three losing Copa America finals before finally clinching that continental trophy in 2021.
“After so much suffering and lost finals, God kept it for me,” said Messi of the World Cup.
He thus became the first Argentina captain since Diego Maradona in 1986 to lift the World Cup.
“I would have liked Maradona to hand me the Cup, so he could at least see Argentina (become) champions,” the Paris Saint-Germain forward said.
“From up above, he gave me strength, as did so many people who love me.”
Maradona died of a heart attack at age 60 in November 2020.
Messi also spoke about Argentina’s feisty encounter with the Netherlands in the quarter-finals which they won on penalties.
A record 17 yellow cards were issued, including one to him for dissent.
In that clash, the Argentina captain taunted Louis van Gaal after scoring by cupping both hands to his ears right in front of the Dutch coach.
Following the match, he also made gestures to the Netherlands bench and insulted striker Wout Weghorst.
“I don’t like what I did, I don’t like what happened afterward,” Messi said.
“These are moments of a lot of tension, a lot of nerves.
“It is very quick and people react the way they react. Nothing was planned, it just happened.”
Many people expected Messi to retire, at least from international duty, after the Qatar triumph but he decided to continue so he could take to the field with his teammates as world champions.
“I’m not retiring from the national team,” he said after the final.
“I want to continue playing as a champion.”
However, he also admitted that the end was near after a glory-laden career that saw him win four Champions League titles and 10 Spanish La Liga crowns with Barcelona, and a French Ligue 1 trophy with Paris Saint-Germain, as well as the Ballon d’Or a record seven times.
“That’s it, there’s nothing left, I’ve achieved everything with the national team, with Barcelona, individually,” he said. AFP
