Lionel Messi, the usually reserved football icon, has always been passionate about his homeland Argentina.
In 2022, Messi finally clinched the elusive World Cup trophy for Argentina in Qatar, a crowning achievement in his illustrious career. But it was during the intense World Cup quarter-finals that year when Messi's emotions spilled over while defending his nation.
The match against the Netherlands was fraught with tension, culminating in several confrontations between the Argentine and Dutch players. Notably, Virgil van Dijk pushed Leandro Paredes after the latter kicked the ball towards the Dutch bench in the 88th minute.
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Later, Angel Di Maria was seen furiously throwing his water bottle following Wout Weghorst's last-minute equalizer in the 101st minute. After a nail-biting penalty shootout, Argentina secured their win in a game marked by an extraordinary 15 yellow cards.
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Post-match, however, the drama continued as Messi interrupted his interview to confront Weghorst, exclaiming in Spanish: "What are you looking at fool? Get back there."
Though Messi is known for his calm demeanor, his passionate reaction after a match highlighted his deep connection to Argentina and his willingness to stand up for his country. Two years on from lifting the World Cup, Messi is back in action with Argentina at the Copa America, cherishing every opportunity as his illustrious career enters its final chapter.
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Lionel Messi is playing for Argentina at the 2024 Copa America (Getty Images)“I’ve done this all of my life,” he told ESPN Argentina earlier this month. “I love playing ball. I enjoy the practices and the day-to-day, the games. Yeah, there’s a bit of fear that it’s all ending. It’s always there. It was a difficult step leaving Europe to come here [Miami].”
"The fact we won the World Cup helped, it helped a lot, to see things in another way,” Messi continued. “But I try not to think about it. I try to enjoy it. I do that more now because I'm aware that there's not a lot of time left. So I have a good time with the club, being lucky having good teammates and friends at my side.
“I enjoy my time with the national team, where I also have good friends, too, and a lot. I enjoy those small details that I know I'll miss when I stop playing.”
Messi's fellow Argentinians know that his time donning the blue and white is winding down, yet they're savouring potentially his last big international event.
“We Argentines are too melancholic, and we are already thinking about the day when he is gone while he’s still playing,” Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni told Telemundo Sports. “So, let's enjoy it and we'll see what happens tomorrow. I think the present is so important for the whole world, not only for Argentina, because in the end, Leo plays for everyone who likes soccer.”
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