Superstar Lionel Messi just gave an interview to ESPN before joining the Argentina team on their journey to defend the Copa America throne. La Pulga has had notable shares about its own ambitions as well as the Albiceleste.
Messi will enter his 7th Copa America on the morning of June 21 in the match between Argentina and Canada . And his ambitions, like those of the Albicelste, remain intact. Coach Lionel Scaloni has summoned 21 stars who won the 2022 World Cup, showing that Argentina does not underestimate the tournament taking place in the United States.
As for Messi personally, he is aiming for greater milestones, such as the number of appearances for the national team (currently 182 matches) as well as the number of goals for the national team (currently 108 goals). If he plays in the Canada match, Messi will become the player who has played the most matches in the Copa America with 35 matches, and will also be the first Argentine player to appear in 7 tournaments.
In addition, Messi is also aiming to break the record of scoring the most goals in tournament history of Norberto Mendez and Zizinho (both 17 goals). Messi currently has 14 goals and can completely surpass this milestone. But of course, his number 1 goal is to add another trophy to his massive trophy collection, after losing in three Copa America finals.
In an interview with ESPN, Messi said: “At every Copa America or World Cup, Argentina is always one of the brightest candidates for the championship. Nowadays, expectations are even higher after we won the last two major tournaments, and with the quality of the players we have.”
“They never stop surprising me with the way they train, their behavior or their desire to win. This will be a very difficult Copa but we are confident of defending our throne.”
After falling so many times at the door of heaven with Argentina, winning the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup not only satisfied Messi, but also motivated his desire to extend his passion to the end.
“I’m not ready to leave football,” Messi said. “I’ve been doing this my whole life. I like playing football. I enjoy everyday life, training, matches. Seeing all of this end makes me a little scared. I’ve been through a tumultuous period recently from leaving Europe to winning the world championship. These things help me see things in a different way.”
The former Barca player said he still doesn’t feel it’s time for him to retire. “I haven’t thought about hanging up my shoes yet,” Messi continued. “I’m still enjoying everything good at the club and the national team. I am surrounded by friends. So I still want to continue playing. And when I stop, I will definitely miss football.”
Despite suffering a muscle injury at the beginning of the year and being affected by a few scattered injuries, Messi still played very well. In the Albiceleste’s final preparation match before the 2024 Copa America, he scored 2 goals against Guatemala in a 4-1 victory on June 15. At Inter Miami, Messi scored 14 goals and added 11 assists in 15 matches in 2024. So when entering Copa America 2024, he clearly still receives great expectations.
If Di Maria has announced that this will be his last tournament with Argentina, Messi still keeps it a secret. Messi confirmed that he will not attend the 2024 Summer Olympics but also did not deny attending the 2026 World Cup. Preparing to turn 37 on June 24, La Pulga understands that his best years are behind him. via. But the Argentine superstar has not lost his passion for football and is still ready to shine in the twilight of his career.
