Argentina skipper Messi feeling fit ahead of legacy-defining last hurrah
Argentina captain Lionel Messi said he was physically ready for the World Cup in Qatar and that it will be a special occasion as his side are one of the favourites in what is likely to be his last appearance in the global tournament.
“I feel very good physically, I think I’m in a great moment, both personally and physically and I don’t have any problems,” Messi, who did light training away from his team mates on Saturday, told a news conference on Monday.
It seems like an ideal chance for Messi to push his international goals tally toward a century - he currently has 91 - in what’s surely a forlorn atempt to catch the leading men’s mark of 117, owned by great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
How Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni treats Messi for this game in particular, being staged in the 80,000-seat Lusail Iconic Stadium, might be instructive given the captain’s fitness has been managed heading into the World Cup.
“I heard that they said I trained differently. It was because I had a knock but there is nothing strange (happening). It was just a precaution.”
The 35-year-old, who in Qatar will be playing his fith World Cup, added that he did not prepare differently for the tournament which for the first time is being played in November and December. “I didn’t do anything special,” the forward said. “I took care of myself and worked as I have done all my career, knowing that this is a special moment, as this is probably my last World Cup, my last chance to achieve this great dream that I have, that we all have.”
The seven-time Ballon d’or winner has enjoyed a trophy-laden career at both club and personal level but has so far failed to deliver a long awaited World Cup for his country, something many fans around the world would like to see change this time around.
“It’s a beautiful thing that many people outside Argentina want us to be champions and that it’s largely because of me,” Messi said.
“I’m grateful for the love I’ve received around the world during my career, and here in Qatar it’s another example of that.
“I don’t know if we arrive beter than at other World Cups. But we’ve just won (the 2021 Copa America) and that decompresses us a lot.
“It makes us work in a different way, without anxiety about the national team and its results, and enjoying ourselves.”
Messi’s predecessor as Argentina icon, the late Diego Maradona secured his footballing immortality by inspiring the country to their second world
Messi would desper at ely love t o add Wor ld Cup glor y t o all his other accolades that include four Champions League cr owns and 10 La Liga t it les
title in 1986.
Messi would desperately love to add World Cup glory to all his other accolades that include four Champions League crowns and 10 La Liga titles.
Argentinakickofftheirworldcupcampaignwith a Group C opener against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and will then face Mexico and Poland.
Argentina head into this tournament on the back of a 36-match unbeaten run as one of the clear favourites.
Their group does not appear, on paper at least, the most taxing.
The Saudis might have come through Asian qualifying relatively comfortably, but they tend to struggleonsoccer’shigheststage,reachingthelast16 only once in their five appearances at the World Cup.
They started the 2018 tournament with a 5-0 loss to Russia, the host nation.
Saudi Arabia is set to be well-backed at the World Cup because it shares Qatar’s only land border to the outside world, and fans will drive across in their droves to atend the match taking place at the tournament’s biggest venue.
Under French coach Hervé Renard, the Saudis have been in preparation for several weeks ater domesticcompetitionswerepausedsoplayerscould focus on the World Cup.
They also received a visit from Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who gave a speech to the squad before the tournament.