Argentina captain Lionel Messi has insisted that the country’s victory at the 2022 World Cup will be dedicated to late Diego Maradona.
Reacting to Argentina’s victory during the team’s bus parade of the trophy, Messi noted that the 2022 World Cup belongs to Maradona.
Messi said that the World Cup “also is Diego (Maradona’s)”, who supported the team “from heaven”.
“From Grandoli to the World Cup in Qatar, almost 30 years passed. There were nearly three decades in which the ball gave me a lot of joy and also some sadness. I always had the dream of being a world champion and I didn’t want to stop trying, even knowing that might never happen,” said Messi, in a letter on Instagram.
He added: “This cup that we won is also for all those who did not achieve it in the previous World Cups that we played, like in 2014 in Brazil, where everyone deserved it because of how they fought until the very final, worked hard and wanted it as much as I did… And we deserved it even in that damn final.
“It is also from Diego who encouraged us from heaven. And from all those who always supported the national team without looking so much at the result but rather the desire that we always put into it, also when things did not go as we wanted.”
Messi remarked that the title belongs “of course” to the entire “beautiful” group, to the coaching staff and to all the people on the team who “being anonymous” work day and night to help.
“Many times failure is part of the journey and learning and, without disappointment, it is impossible for success to come. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart! Let’s go Argentina!!!” he added.
Recall that Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties in the final on Sunday.