On February 3, Beijing time, Argentina's "Ole newspaper" published Messi's latest interview, in which he once again talked about the topic of the World Cup and the relationship with Mbappe.
Reporter: How do you remember the moment you kissed the Hercules Cup today?
Messi: I can't put into words how I felt at the time. When I saw the Hercules Cup, I didn't expect this reaction. Because it was so close, I came out of it, approached it, touched it, kissed it. Being able to say, "That's it, we can grab, touch" is a huge excitement. I walked out without thinking because I hadn't seen it before going upstairs. I happened to see it.
How much do you wish for that moment?
Uh, a lot. After such a long journey. In previous World Cups, in 2014 it was so close, I saw it so close and not being able to do what I did in the next World Cup. After that, there were a lot of sacrifices, a lot of failures, a lot of difficult moments, and that was what I had to go through. This is a beautiful situation.
What you do on the pitch "already" is also the "already" of your family?
For me, everything about them is the same as mine, if not more. Because I have family members who live in Argentina and they live in Argentina every day, which is covered in sports, in the press. I heard, or someone told you, that I knew they suffered as much as I did, or more. When we were together, they tried to prove to me that wasn't the case, but deep down, I knew they were having a bad time, and it was a relief for both them and me.
What happens when you see that video? (Watch Montier's penalty, as well as kneel after the goal)
(Messi sighed...) It's been a very exciting time to this day, and even if I look at it that way, it's more exciting than that moment because I'm having a calmer life, it's been a while, and seeing him today makes me even more excited. I see a lot of videos on social media and what they show, and the truth is, it's incredible. You'll see videos like this, they tell stories in different countries, or videos of a group of people coming together to watch a match, very good moments.
Before becoming a world champion, you look up at the sky
I saw people say I was talking to Diego or my grandmother. I just prayed as usual and told Montiel to score the ball because I wasn't going to go on anymore. I said, "Please put it in and let it end here." ”
The Hercules cup was put on the bed, who took it out of you?
We arrived very early and slept soundly. I think as time changed, I slept for an hour or two at most. It was already 6 a.m. and I had turned on the TV and handed over my work to DePaul and O's Low on the other side. Then they would hear me go to the bathroom and I got up and turned on the TV. I don't know why I was holding the cup that night, they left it to me. I put him next to me, DePaul appeared, and I stood up like that, and he said, "I'll take a picture of you." ”
DePaul is a good photographer
He is a very important person in the team, both in terms of football and being a man. Because he makes difficult moments easier, he doesn't always do that, he has his own moments, although people always see him joking and laughing. But when working, he is the first to provide the maximum and want more, which is very important for the team.
Why sing the Song of the Sun?
- The Song of the Sun means a lot to us. Before the America's Cup, we always hear topics that make us feel good. This is a special moment for us, Song of the Sun has been with us in the Copa America and this World Cup. This is a very important question for me and the whole team.
Where will the song be heard: at rallies, in the dressing room?
All. Concentration, locker room, playing time. We always have three or four songs before we sing. Significant themes for the team, and that's one of them.
After losing to Saudi Arabia, you say "we won't throw them away", but before Mexico you didn't have a little fear?
Yes, apparently yes, although we have confidence in ourselves and can do it even if we lose to Saudi Arabia. Obviously, the game didn't go as we expected, and if you don't win, you've started to rely on someone else. If we lose, let alone not, we already have no chance. But there, the strength of the team was proven, it was a unique test, and after the match against Mexico, everything became stronger. But obviously, I'm afraid things won't happen the way we imagined, and it's even one of the worst games, which is normal.
Do you remember the match against Mexico? Tough times.
I remember talking to the kids and telling them that I knew we were in a difficult situation, but we had to try to get out of it. Forget what we are kicking and kick as usual. We haven't lost in 35 games and we know that if we do things as before, we will be better than Mexico, although it is a great choice and a tough test of the way they play. But we know, too, that we are excellent. If we play calmly and patiently as usual, we will win. But the difficulty is to be patient and calm, not to accelerate. Move the balls from one place to another and wait for space to arrive, instead of looking for them, they will appear on their own. Sometimes anxiety eats us, speeds us up the game, makes us lose the ball, but that's normal on the game.
There's a special vibe and you have a good opinion of the team
Yes, there is a savage trust, because we are from there, there are two champions. Even losing to Saudi Arabia is good for us, that's why we're very confident, we know who we're playing against, we're going to stand up as equals and we can beat anyone. But it makes us more alert and aware of what we are playing, the World Cup is not as simple as it seems, any choice can complicate us. Today, look at how everything goes, losing to Saudi Arabia is good for us.
Are you waiting for Scaloni's contract extension?
Yes, obviously, yes. I hope he can finish signing and move on because I think in addition to everything he has shown, he is a very important person for the national team and the whole team that has grown with him. Because apart from winning the Copa America, the final and the World Cup, they are all young people, and I think it would be great to continue the process without having to change. But well, this is his decision, whatever it is understandable. The truth is that after the World Cup, we stopped talking and yes, when he was over, I took a vacation, haha, everyone was on vacation. But I hope he decides to continue, because it will be best for Argentina.
People always think that Argentina won the title in 1986 by Maradona, now they say Argentina depends on Messi
I don't even need to say, I have said more than once, that without a team, no one can win anything alone. Even the players who didn't have a chance, they had to play and be in the team for different reasons and didn't give up. This proves that we are a team and we are all ready. As a team, we have enough confidence and we know we are very strong, no matter who comes on.
You're going to kick penalties, three goals, what's on your head? You have to kick after Mbappe
- Even in the final, he was very calm. I don't know why he thought we were going to be champions, he didn't know the 3-3 hit, it was the toughest one, because 3-2, they equalized again, it was the hardest thing. But even in the whole World Cup, the match against the Netherlands was my biggest fear. Because well, they scored at the last minute, which no one expected, it was terrible. But the truth is, I was calm, I played the penalty [after Mbappe] calmly.
Is it complicated to talk about his finals?
No, even if a person does not want to talk, pulling the topic out of the final, will go and talk about it. I'm also on the other side, I've also lost the World Cup final (in Brazil in 2014) and I don't want to know what is there to talk about, what happened. It wasn't about the World Cup at the time, which is why I didn't want to talk about it either. But the truth is, Killian and I have no problem.
Give us a chance to think of you for the 2026 World Cup
I don't know, I always say that by age I find it hard to get there. I love playing football, I love what I do and as long as I'm in good shape and continue to enjoy it all, I will do it. But in my opinion, the next World Cup is still far away.
I tell you, I don't have any plans. That's what I repeated, I repeated. Judging by age and time, I think it's hard. But it depends on my career. I'm going to be 36 and I'm going to see where my career is headed, what I'm going to do, it depends on a lot of things.