The Argentine star regrets the treatment his colleagues in selection have received from the local media.
Lionel Messi ultimately won an international trophy with Argentina this summer, lifting the Copa America after Albiceleste beat Brazil in the final, but he reflected on how he and his teammates were viewed before win this prestigious title.
The 34-year-old had already been a Copa America finalist three times, losing in the final in 2007, 2015 and 2016, while he was also part of the Argentina squad that lost the Cup final. world 2014.
“Today that we have won [la Copa America], that’s wonderful. We still think we’re the best and we’re not, “Messi said in an interview with ESPN.
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“We weren’t the worst to lose finals, nor the best to win the Copa America. The important thing is to give everything on the pitch.” Only one team wins. Reaching the final is no easy task and it was not recognized – quite the contrary. “Messi discussed the perception that Argentina are seen as a losing selection for losing the World Cup and Copa America finals, as well as how a disappointing tournament performance would affect him personally.
“Before we were treated like losers and it is not easy to win a World Cup,” added Messi. “The first 15 days I left after a tournament with Argentina, I was bitter, I didn’t want to do anything. And after Brazil, it was my first good vacation.”
For Messi, most of those opinions came from the media. “There was a part of the media that treated us like failures,” Messi commented. “They told us we didn’t like the jersey, they asked us not to play for the national team anymore and we tried to do our best.” We were the first to want to be champions and everything did. there is no question of winning and losing. “
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