Lionel Messi stepped out of Diego Maradona’s shadow by way of main Argentina to World Cup victory remaining 12 months and a statue of the diminutive ahead will stand along the ones of his predecessor and Brazil nice Pele on the South American federation’s museum.
Messi, preserving a duplicate of the World Cup trophy, stood beside the life-size statue at an unveiling rite on the South American Football Federation (CONMEBOL) headquarters in Luque, Paraguay sooner than the Copa Libertadores draw on Monday.
The 35-year-old emulated the past due Maradona by way of main Argentina to their first World Cup triumph in 36 years in Qatar in December.
“I had never dreamed or thought about this,” Messi mentioned. “My dream was once to experience what I appreciated when I used to be little, to be a qualified football participant, to do what I all the time cherished on this existence.
“I had an overly lengthy street, many selections and defeats, however I all the time appeared forward and sought after to head for a triumph, for a victory.
“I think that is the most important thing, to fight for your dreams, that everything is possible and to enjoy the game, which is the most beautiful thing there is.”
The Argentina avid gamers and trainer Lionel Scaloni additionally won miniature trophies of the World Cup and the Copa America, which they’ll win in 2021.
The Argentine Football Federation renamed the nationwide crew’s coaching facility after Messi on Saturday, two days after he scored his 800th profession function in a 2-0 pleasant win over Panama.
Messi has scored 99 targets for his nation and would transform the primary Argentina participant to internet 100 world targets if he rankings in Tuesday’s pleasant towards Curacao.
This tale has been revealed from a cord company feed with out changes to the textual content.