Lionel Messi spoke about the criticism he received in previous years with the Argentina national team.

Messi has now won everything there is to win in football. Not only at club level but with Argentina.

But prior to the 2021 Copa America, that was not the case. The team was continuously criticized for everything by the media. Messi answered questions which were sent to him by his Argentina team mates and in the same interview with TV Pública, he spoke about the difficult times with Argentina. Here is what he had to say:

“The truth is that it was very difficult. I lived a situation in Barcelona that I enjoyed a lot, we were winning, we were playing well. We were praised from all sides of the game, for the team, for the wins.

“It was stepping foot in Argentina and hearing the criticism, the rumors. The murmur of the people, continually having to pass a test so to speak or depending on a result.

“I was lucky that I was doing well at club level and when things went wrong, I would arrive in Barcelona and forget about how bad we were doing in the national team.

“A lot of criticism, bullshit more than criticism. People were talking about more than football things that went beyond the line of disrespect. It was not good.

“On the other hand, I knew that my family, even though they did not show it, suffered a lot too. They stayed in the country and consumed all of that. I didn’t cry but I did suffer a lot.

“I had a very hard time but I never doubted or thought… Well yes, at one point I did. But before that, I always had the desire to achieve something with the national team and I had it in my head that I was going to achieve it.”

Lionel Messi answered questions which were asked by his Argentina team mates.

Messi was interviewed on TV Pública and part of the interview was players of the Argentina national team asking him questions. Julián Álvarez asked him how he tries to handle the fame he has worldwide:

“I have always handled myself very normally. I like to enjoy my family, my people, share things with my children. Pick them up from school, go to a park.

“I got used to it since I started my career. Sometimes I would like to go unnoticed. I took it as normal. Without thinking about anything, it’s much easier.”

Lisandro Martínez asked him what the Argentina national team means to him:

“For me, it’s the maximum. I proved it throughout my career. There were very bad times for me. I was at my best at Barcelona, winning the Champions League, La Liga and individual awards. And in the national team, I was living a completely different reality.

“My people were hurting. I always wanted to be there and I tried for what was finally given to me in the end. I never stopped having that dream.

“Thank God it ended up happening. The national team is something I enjoyed and enjoy, beyond the bitterness I had to go through. It is very special.”

Exequiel Palacios asked him when he would stop playing with the national team:

“Honestly, I don’t know until when. I think it will happen when it has to happen/ After having achieved everything recently, the only thing left to do is to enjoy. God will say when that moment will come.

“Logically, because of my age, I’m sure it will be soon. But I don’t know exactly when will be the right time. I think about the day to day, enjoying everything beautiful. We had to go through very hard times in the national team. We were fortunate enough to be World Cup and Copa America champions. It’s time to enjoy.”

Nicolás Tagliafico asked him what the formula is to be able to maintain the highest level:

“The same which got me to achieve everything I have achieved. The consistency, the strength, sacrifice, to always want more. Every since I was young, I have always been like that, very responsible and sure of what I wanted.

“I always gave my maximum to achieve the most. At times it happened and other times no. I always approached the beginning of each season with the mentality of continuing to improve myself. I was fortunate that injuries were very respectful of me.”

Nahuel Molina asked Lionel Messi if he saw him when he gave the assist to his goal against the Netherlands at the World Cup:

“I saw him. He was on the run and I understood that the most normal thing to do at that moment was to pass to the side. I thought it was the right time to try to get it to him. I thought the whole defense was waiting for something else but I didn’t hear him, I saw him.”

Ángel Di María asked him if he used the barbeque he had in his home in Paris:

“I’m not a someone that barbeques. I don’t like to make my own. I have made one or two when I was alone. I had no other choice. To tell you the truth, I like to accompany more than to make them.”

Marcos Acuña and Germán Pezzella asked him what he felt when Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty against France in the final of the World Cup:

“We got to that situation more relaxed, in quotiation marks, because we had an advantage and one more chance. But I was looking forward to it being done and over with. That we could celebrate. These moments that are very difficult to describe in words.

“The nerves of the penalty kicks, the joy of being World champion… Everything depends on God, on what He wants, He decides those moments, I always felt it that way. Everything that happens, happens for a reason. I always ask Him and thank Him for everything He has given me on a sporting and family level.”

Paulo Dybala asked him if he is human and if he really is aware of what he generates in the world:

“When you are always competing, when you always have goals ahead of you, you don’t value much what you really deserve, what you are achieving. I am at a moment in my career where I enjoy everything that happens to me and I value everything much more because I know that these are the last years.

“But I think that when I retire and I’m not playing anymore, I will value all of this much more. And even more so the fact of being a World champion, which will last a lifetime, especially in a country like ours, that is so fond of football, so grateful for it.”

Although it is not official yet, Inter Miami would most likely present Lionel Messi as their new signing this Sunday at the DRV PNK Stadium. The event is promoted by the club as “The Unveil” and will include “exciting entertainment, speeches on the pitch and more,” according to a press release.

Per reports from The Athletic, the MLS are in negotiations with the CONCACAF to broadcast Messi’s presentation during the Gold Cup’s final half-time, which will be about 20:15 Eastern time. Leo’s former FC Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are also expected to be presented during this time.

In the United States, the event will be streamed on Apple TV+.

Enzo Fernández spoke about his winning mentality, lifting up his team mates, Lionel Scaloni and Emiliano Martínez.

Fernández gave an interview which we have translated where he spoke about Lionel Messi and how he found out that he was going to be at the World Cup with the Argentina national team. In the same interview with Diario Ole, Enzo spoke about his relationship with the coach Lionel Scaloni and what Scaloni told him. Here is what he had to say:

“I never really had the chance to speak with him face to face but I did have talks with the whole coaching staff and he was present. He always reassured us and told us to be prepared because we could all play.”

On if he never spoke with Scaloni alone even when he was named as a starter:

(Enzo smiles)

“No, never, hehe. I found out that I was going to be a starter during the technical talk. Many times, the day before a match, he would put together a team but we never knew if it was the one that was going to play. We would find out in the pre-match talk.”

If that would take off some of the pressure for a player:

“In my case, it was something normal. Maybe because I was used to it because at River, Marcelo (Gallardo) would do the same.”

What happened when he found out he was starting against Poland:

“Uff. Anxiety, nervousness, everything… If that doesn’t happen to you, it’s that you are not truly a football player, hehe. The first thing that happened when I saw my name there was I was anxious to go out and play. It’s very beautiful the hours before a match.

“I prepared my entire life to play football and I took it as something natural. Playing a World Cup is part of football and I try to enjoy it because if you don’t, it’s much more difficult. I was thinking that when I would have the chance, I would enjoy it to the maximum.”

On if he was always someone confident:

“Yes, since I always enjoyed playing football since I was a kid. I live the moment, I try to do my best but that it’s natural. No pressure or something like that.”

If he enjoyed every moment of the World Cup, even when France drew level in the final:

“If I tell you the truth, you won’t believe me but yes. The truth is yes. It’s more, I was confident that we would become champions that I started lifting up my team mates. I saw Nico (Otamendi) who was maybe a little down because he gave the foul for the penalty and I told him:

“Nico, that’s it. It’s now. We are playing now. They tied us, it doesn’t matter. We are going to win it. It’s about enjoying the present and besides, I was always confident that we were going to be champions.”

About how Dibu (Emiliano Martínez) told him to kick his penalty down the middle against the Netherlands but he didn’t listen:

(Enzo smiles)

“The day before we had been practicing and I always kicked it to the left, where I missed, but I had hit them all. I wasn’t going to change if I hit them all. And he got angry because I didn’t listen to him, hehe. Dibu’s a good guy. We get along very well and he has a beautiful madness to him, hehe.”

If Dibu is unbearable as an opponent or as a team mate:

“Both, he is unbearable every day. He’s crazy, an idiot/fool (boludo). But if you have him against you, it’s worse, hehe. For me, what he does is something natural. But maybe in Europe or other parts of the world, they don’t like it.”

Enzo Fernández gave a lengthy interview with Diario Ole and the 22 year old spoke about where he was and how his reaction was upon finding out that he was called up for the World Cup and sharing a room with Julián Álvarez.

Fernández had commented on when he first met Lionel Messi and his goal against Mexico at the World Cup. In the same interview, Enzo spoke about getting called up to the World Cup and Lionel Messi praising himself and Thiago Almada:

“Yes, more than a year went by. In my head, I thought that I would not get called because the World Cup was coming… But then I got the opportunity to go on the tour, I did things very well and the coaching staff gave me a chanec to be at the World Cup.

“Leo surprised me (his praise) and I was lucky to be able to thank him because every time he spoke about me, it was good.”

On how it was when he found out he was going to the World Cup:

“I remember it was a Saturday afternoon, I was taking a nap in Lisbon and I couldn’t sleep because I was very anxious because there was a week left until they would give the list (for the World Cup). Ah, the truth is, at that moment, I hadn’t slept for about two weeks, hehe. And at the moment, I got an audio from Matías Mana (part of Lionel Scaloni’s coaching staff) and when I heard it, I started to cry.

“I couldn’t believe it, I stayed like 20 minutes, crying alone. After I left the room, my wife was on the sofa with my daughter and when I told her, we hugged and cried together. It was a very special moment because I prepared for this my entire career… Every kid dreams about playing a World Cup and even more so winning it.

“But in addition, three months before I started to prepare myself physically and psychologically in case it was my turn… And in the end it was a dream.”

On if he was confident in himself that he was going to be called, that he was preparing even three months prior:

“Yes, I was confident in myself and I knew that if I had the opportunity, I was going to take advantage of it. I was tlaking a lot with Nico Otamendi, who was my team mate at Benfica and he told me to prepare, that I could be there. He helped me a lot, he advised me and he motivated me…”

On how he prepared:

“I was very anxious about what was going to happen and I have a coach who helps me a lot in that. What I prepared the most was enjoying the moment, not letting a lot of things go by, moments with the family and living in the present. If I am having mates with the family, to enjoy that moment, not to think of what is going to happen after…”

On if he was confident that at the World Cup, he would play as much as he did:

“If I wasn’t picked, I would have supported my team mates. But when you are there, obviously you want to play. And even more a World Cup! I always had that calmness that I was going to have the opportunity, that the coaching staff picked me for a reason and I was confident in myself that when I would get the chance, I would do the best I can…”

How he shared a room with Julián Álvarez, someone he knew from River Plate”

“Yes, I remember that we had barely opened the door to our rooms, I looked at him and said: “It’s crazy, look where we are… We are going to play a World Cup!” It was incredible that we were together at River and we were in Qatar, the two young players at 21 or 22 years old, living a dream. Being able to represent Argentina is priceless.

“It was incredible that in such little time, with only a three year career, I was there to play a World Cup. It was all crazy.”