Argentina’s defeat at the Maracana within the 2014 World Cup ultimate to Germany was once heart-breaking for the South Americans. What adopted harm more - back-to-back defeats within the Copa America finals, and Lionel Messi give up global football in disgust. Later, he was once to return to take Argentina to Russia with a hat-trick in opposition to Ecuador of their ultimate qualifier. At 30, Russia seems to be the last probability for Messi to win football’s final prize. On the eve in their departure, he opens up about disappointments and expectancies...
ALSO READ: No guarantees for Argentina in trying out Group D
Does the Maracana defeat nonetheless harm?
It is an open wound and it's going to continue to be. We were so close to reach our dreams. But that’s football. The best possible crew does now not at all times win it. We had to settle for it and go ahead. We cried, I cried, like all the Argentines who sought after it like all of us. The ache continues to be there.
ALSO READ: Argentina hoping it's Messi's 12 months at World Cup
Another World Cup is here. Huge expectancies are certain to crop up again...
We attempted our best possible, however we are yet to win the rest for Argentina. There is not anything mistaken with the expectancies since we didn't win any other World Cup since 1986. Like every Argentine, I too need to have without equal excitement of successful the World Cup for my country. Every Albiceleste footballer had given his best possible in 2014. Yet, we could now not.
Can Argentina do it in 2018?
My dream continues to be the same – to be within the ultimate and lift the cup. It is in point of fact difficult to move the space and play the overall of a World Cup. That we had skilled already in 2014. We need to do the same and alter the last end result. We need to elevate the Cup this time since this could be the last probability for our generation of footballers to win it.
Is it an unbearable burden so that you can deliver the dream of the country?
No, now not in point of fact. If you're an Argentine and a football follower, you want your country to win the best prize. There is not anything mistaken in it. In fact, I believe the same manner. We all know how difficult it's to win a World Cup, however we all want it, Argentina needs it. So that is relatively natural.
Your generation of footballers, particularly you, were critically criticised by the Argentine media after each and every defeat. How painful is that?
Obviously it hurts, however you must remember the fact that they were doing it from the same unbearable ache we were passing through. Argentina is a football-crazy country. The manner the media reacted was once one way or the other natural for them. Initially, we thought that achieving 3 finals were meaningless. But that’s what Argentina is, no position for the runner-up.
A visibly distraught Messi after Argentina misplaced the overall of the 2014 FIFA World Cup (Getty Images)
Argentina is in a difficult workforce with Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria. Your ideas...
Well, you must play the best if you find yourself going through the best in the best tournament. Every opponent will probably be ready to ask uncomfortable questions and you have got to be ready for the whole thing. This is World Cup. Nothing may also be taken with no consideration. Only the best get the opportunity to represent their country here. All the fits will probably be difficult. But we are ready to accomplish.
If you're to pick out favorite international locations to win the tournament…
All the big footballing international locations will get started as favourites. The reigning champions, Germany will try their best possible to reach it all over again. Spain has a very good facet that may go the space. Brazil and Portugal did well within the qualifiers, so did France.
Lionel Messi (C) celebrates after defeating Ecuador and qualifying to the 2018 World Cup football tournament (Getty Images)
Are you surprised that big football-nations like Italy and the Netherlands would now not be a part of the World Cup?
This best proves how difficult the World Cup is. A World Cup without Italy is nearly inconceivable and the Dutch were the semi-finalists in Brazil. We went to ultimate beating them in penalties. Russia will pass over the Azzurri and the Oranje lovers who add color to the fan fest.
Reaching Russia was once a problem with Argentina, too. You had to score a hat-trick in opposition to Ecuador to make sure the passage.
We needed to win the last game and we were in the back of firstly. Later, the whole thing went as we had deliberate and I scored the ones targets. But the crew made it possible. We all were eager to be in any other World Cup. This is without equal, the best tournament and we all need to be a part of it. We were in point of fact satisfied when we completed the function of achieving Russia without going through the pressure of play offs.
What did Ivan Rakitic say to you when the draw was once finalized and Croatia were positioned in the same workforce with Argentina?
Not much, in point of fact. Ivan is a very good participant and a devoted teammate. He is a fighter and he's going to now not let me play the way in which I like to. And he's going to get an able partner in Luca Modric. But he's going to obtain the same treatment from this finish, too. In our apply for Barcelona, we did have some lighter moments, discussing the match, that’s it.
ALSO READ: No guarantees for Argentina in trying out Group D
Does the Maracana defeat nonetheless harm?
It is an open wound and it's going to continue to be. We were so close to reach our dreams. But that’s football. The best possible crew does now not at all times win it. We had to settle for it and go ahead. We cried, I cried, like all the Argentines who sought after it like all of us. The ache continues to be there.
ALSO READ: Argentina hoping it's Messi's 12 months at World Cup
Another World Cup is here. Huge expectancies are certain to crop up again...
We attempted our best possible, however we are yet to win the rest for Argentina. There is not anything mistaken with the expectancies since we didn't win any other World Cup since 1986. Like every Argentine, I too need to have without equal excitement of successful the World Cup for my country. Every Albiceleste footballer had given his best possible in 2014. Yet, we could now not.
Can Argentina do it in 2018?
My dream continues to be the same – to be within the ultimate and lift the cup. It is in point of fact difficult to move the space and play the overall of a World Cup. That we had skilled already in 2014. We need to do the same and alter the last end result. We need to elevate the Cup this time since this could be the last probability for our generation of footballers to win it.
Is it an unbearable burden so that you can deliver the dream of the country?
No, now not in point of fact. If you're an Argentine and a football follower, you want your country to win the best prize. There is not anything mistaken in it. In fact, I believe the same manner. We all know how difficult it's to win a World Cup, however we all want it, Argentina needs it. So that is relatively natural.
Your generation of footballers, particularly you, were critically criticised by the Argentine media after each and every defeat. How painful is that?
Obviously it hurts, however you must remember the fact that they were doing it from the same unbearable ache we were passing through. Argentina is a football-crazy country. The manner the media reacted was once one way or the other natural for them. Initially, we thought that achieving 3 finals were meaningless. But that’s what Argentina is, no position for the runner-up.
A visibly distraught Messi after Argentina misplaced the overall of the 2014 FIFA World Cup (Getty Images)
Argentina is in a difficult workforce with Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria. Your ideas...
Well, you must play the best if you find yourself going through the best in the best tournament. Every opponent will probably be ready to ask uncomfortable questions and you have got to be ready for the whole thing. This is World Cup. Nothing may also be taken with no consideration. Only the best get the opportunity to represent their country here. All the fits will probably be difficult. But we are ready to accomplish.
If you're to pick out favorite international locations to win the tournament…
All the big footballing international locations will get started as favourites. The reigning champions, Germany will try their best possible to reach it all over again. Spain has a very good facet that may go the space. Brazil and Portugal did well within the qualifiers, so did France.
Lionel Messi (C) celebrates after defeating Ecuador and qualifying to the 2018 World Cup football tournament (Getty Images)
Are you surprised that big football-nations like Italy and the Netherlands would now not be a part of the World Cup?
This best proves how difficult the World Cup is. A World Cup without Italy is nearly inconceivable and the Dutch were the semi-finalists in Brazil. We went to ultimate beating them in penalties. Russia will pass over the Azzurri and the Oranje lovers who add color to the fan fest.
Reaching Russia was once a problem with Argentina, too. You had to score a hat-trick in opposition to Ecuador to make sure the passage.
We needed to win the last game and we were in the back of firstly. Later, the whole thing went as we had deliberate and I scored the ones targets. But the crew made it possible. We all were eager to be in any other World Cup. This is without equal, the best tournament and we all need to be a part of it. We were in point of fact satisfied when we completed the function of achieving Russia without going through the pressure of play offs.
What did Ivan Rakitic say to you when the draw was once finalized and Croatia were positioned in the same workforce with Argentina?
Not much, in point of fact. Ivan is a very good participant and a devoted teammate. He is a fighter and he's going to now not let me play the way in which I like to. And he's going to get an able partner in Luca Modric. But he's going to obtain the same treatment from this finish, too. In our apply for Barcelona, we did have some lighter moments, discussing the match, that’s it.
Lionel Messi exclusive: 'In Argentina there's no place for runners-up'
![Lionel Messi exclusive: 'In Argentina there's no place for runners-up']()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 01, 2018
Rating:
