Asked in an Argentine media on Thursday February 2, Lionel Messi returned to the controversies surrounding the celebration of Argentina.
Since his title of world champion and his return to PSG, the speech of Lionel Messi is rare if not non-existent. In an interview for the Argentinian newspaper OleThursday, February 2, the Pulga finally takes the floor and returns to the controversies around the celebration of Argentina and the “lack of respect” mentioned by several observers in the Netherlands, France and Kylian Mbappe. For the Argentine star, there is no problem with his teammate at PSG and the atmosphere was good when he returned to the club. “Yes, we talked about the game, the festivities, how people had experienced it in Argentina, when I was on vacation, and the festivities we had, he explained. And nothing, nothing more, but it’s going well, really well […] I was on the other side too, I lost a world final (in 2014 against Germany) too and I didn’t want to know anything about it, about what happened. And nothing that touched the world Cup at that time. That’s why I don’t want to talk about it either. But the truth is that I have no problem with Kylian, quite the contrary.”
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, was a little more spicy on the attitude of the Dutch during this World Cup. If he regrets certain words, the former Ballon d’Or believes that the “trial” is unfair. “It seems unfair to me that this message (the Argentinians’ lack of fair play) has been broadcast because it is not true. Because nobody gave us anything for free and we have always behaved in an exemplary way, on and off the field, he said, the guys were impressive and behaved better than ever, and I think they speak because of what happened with the Netherlands, let it all start But no one says anything about what happened before the game with the statements of the Dutch, what happened during the game and what happened in the penalty shootout as well, their provocations. They did not have any kind of fair play. They are the ones who spoke and who wanted to destabilize our players when we were going to take the penalties, he added. Everyone talks about what did Argentina after their victory but nobody talks about it. It seems to me that we should watch the film carefully and see what happened and then comment and establish that we didn’t know how to win.”
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With Barça, a career rich in trophies and goals
Argentinian by birth, Lionel Messi touched his first balls at Grandioli FC, the club where his father trained. Between 1994 and 2000, it was with the formation of Newell’s Old Boys that he continued his training as a footballer and hatched, managing to be spotted in Europe. It was FC Barcelona who set their sights on the then 13-year-old player. Year after year, he asserted himself within the Catalan club: Barça junior, Barça C, Barça B… then the great Barça, with whom he started on October 16, 2004 during a derby against Espanyol de Barcelona. A real fairy tale then opens up: 17 seasons with the Blaugranas, 778 games, 672 goals, records and titles galore… Messi becomes the idol of Camp Nou and the world of football, obsessed with his rivalry with a another big name of the moment: Cristiano Ronaldo. 10 Spanish championships with Barça, four Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups or seven King’s Cups, the Spanish Cup… the story is idyllic and allowed him to win, during those years, six golden balls, including four consecutively. If he seemed forever linked to Barça, Messi finally had to change his shirt. In the summer of 2021, Barcelona can no longer afford the salary of the Pulga. Exit the red and blue of the Catalan club, hello red and blue… of Paris Saint-Germain.
A final challenge with PSG
Lionel Messi joins PSG on Tuesday August 10, 2021. This is a huge blow for the Parisian club which is entering a new era with the arrival of the Argentinian. He very quickly finds his place in the game system and continues the matches, even if he is less decisive than with Barça. Nevertheless, the attacking trio formed with Mbappé and Neymar shakes many defenses. Coming with the aim of turning PSG over in the Champions League, he cannot prevent the capital club from being eliminated in the round of 16 of the 2021-2022 edition against real Madrid (2-3, cumulative score).
Turmoil and glory with Argentina
After Maradona, Argentina therefore inherited another footballing genius in the person of Lionel Messi. But with the selection, the relationship of the Pulga has not always been good. There have been many meetings where the striker has not shone and displayed a level of play below his performance with Barça. The differences in context between daily club life and international periods have often been felt, even if Messi has always displayed a certain efficiency. His skill in front of goal allowed him to stick 98 goals to his opponents, making the selection record. Unhappy finalist of the World Cup in 2014 and the Copa America three times, Messi had to wait until 2021 to triumph with the Albiceleste, during the Copa America, before being crowned world champion in 2022. Also note a coronation at the Olympics of 2008.
What is Lionel Messi’s salary?
Paris Saint-Germain had to take out the checkbook to attract the planetary star to its ranks. According to the Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, author of a biography on the Argentine number 10, Lionel Messi would receive 30 million euros net per year at PSG.