Last night, Argentina announced their 26-men squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup, captaining Lionel Messi. However, Messi is still in Paris and will fly to Dubai on Saturday after the match against Auxerre. There he will play Argentina’s friendly against the United Arab Emirates. Anyway, Diario Ole, the news reporter from an Argentine daily, interviewed Lionel Messi today. Diario Ole published the interview on www.ole.com. Read Messi’s important words below:
Messi recalls his World Cup journeys from 2006
Lionel Messi played his first world cup in 2006. Now he’s about to play his fifth FIFA World Cup. Messi has shared what he has learned from the previous world cups and how it was. Messi said,” Well, in the first one, I was very young. I enjoyed it, and at the same time, I had the innocence and anger of wanting to play, of wanting more.”
“Then, the 2014 World Cup, where we did very well, was an unforgettable experience, where I enjoyed it a lot, and where it was clearer than ever that the main thing and the important thing is that it is a strong and united group,” Messi added.
Lionel Messi also talked about the current team. He said, “Today, I feel many similarities between this group with the one from 2014. It seems very similar to me on that side, the group that was assembled, the group and mental strength, I think it is very important.”
Messi knows the importance of winning the first game. “I think I had the lesson, where starting the World Cup well and winning the first game, I believe that is fundamental and marks you a lot for the rest of the World Cup.”
How is Messi dealing with pressure?
Lionel Messi has talked about the pressure on him as well as Argentina. ” At the pressure level, I think we have to isolate ourselves from everything that people are experiencing. Although we have a great illusion, we are also realistic and aware that we are going through a good time,” Messi said.
Lionel Messi added, “At the same time, we have to know that it is a World Cup. Anything can happen in the World Cup, but that logic doesn’t always hold. We have to go from the first to the last game in the same way. It is a group that always does it, and whatever the match, they play it with the same intensity, and I think that is very important.”
Messi wants to go game by game
Messi said, “And knowing that we are going to fight it, but we’re not going to be champions from the outset as we Argentines think. That is already a mistake, thinking about the Round of 16, but you should think about the first game. Start winning, as I said before. It is essential to start off on the right foot, add three points and I think that gives you peace of mind for the next.
Argentina will start the World Cup campaign on November 22, playing against Saudi Arabia.
