Lionel Messi spoke about winning the Copa America with the Argentina national team.

Messi was crowned 2021 Copa America champion with Argentina after having lost four finals. After several tournaments lost, he was able to win a trophy with Argentina and in Brazil.

The Argentine spoke to Star+ about the 2022 World Cup, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and Sergio Aguero retiring. He also spoke about all four World Cups he has participated in with Argentina. He also spoke about the current Argentina team and winning the 2021 Copa America. Here is what he had to say:

“I’m one more in the group and in this case, I try to join them because they were all kids who already knew each other from before, they were young, I got there later because I wasn’t there in the first games of that process.

“I did more than normal for the way that I am to integrate as quickly as possible. I was the one who tried to get closer.”

On winning the Copa America:

“I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know how to celebrate in that moment. I was there, what I was missing was given. One of my objectives to close everything for me was fundamental to be able to win something with the Argentina national team.

“If not, I would have always been left with the thorn of the lost finals, of not having been able to win with the national team. It was the moment to say that’s it. I would have liked to have enjoyed being champion with the people in Argentine for a few more days. Because it was crazy beautiful.”

How the country lived it, the days after, until today, I believe that people are crazy with the national team, with what is coming, excited…

Lionel Messi commented on every World Cup he has taken part of with the Argentina national team and the three finals lost.

Messi has taken part in four FIFA World Cups with the Argentina national team. He reached a final in 2014 and did not take part in one of the games where Argentina were eliminated.

He also spoke about the 2022 World Cup and how it would be his last, while also speaking about Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and Sergio Aguero retiring. Speaking with Star+ about the World Cups, here is what he had to say about Argentina’s 2006 World Cup team:

“I had an injury before the World Cup at Barsa. I came to play the last few friendly games with the Argentina national team but I got to the World Cup without having played the last months. I played vs. Netherlands, Mexico in the Round of 16 and vs. Germany I didn’t play.”

In regards to the 2010 team:

“I believe we had a great national team, a great group and well, Germany got us. We were good until their first goal and from there, we started to go crazy, a mess and they started to score goals. It was difficult for the way we lost.”

About the 2014 World Cup team which made the final:

“We had a spectacular group. We had the hits from after the 2011 Copa America in Argentina, bad in the qualifiers because had we lost vs. Colombia, it would have complicated things for us. But we won and from there, we didn’t lose anymore. The group got stronger, united and we didn;t lose until the final which we deserved to win. I believe yes.

“Penalty to Higuain? Yes… And… With VAR… Surely.”

Regarding the 2018 World Cup:

“The truth is that we didn’t get to it well, the qualifiers cost us. There were a lot of changes, a mess in the middle of the Argentina national team with the change of coach, of players… We finished badly but I keep thinking that if we would have won that first game, everything would have been totally different.

“With Croatia, we played a different way. Until the first goal, we were great and we had just qualified in the last game and even so, we didn’t win vs. France. When we got the 2-1, Pavard scored that great goal from outside of the area. But we were already bad.”

He also spoke about the three lost finals:

“We didn’t win. We lost three consecutive finals and the criticism started towards the group… They started to kill us for not being champions. We did everything well until the last game, including not having lost because two of the finals were on penalties.

“After that came the entire process of the World Cup in Russa which was difficult, fucked, a lot of things happened in the middle of it all. In 2019, an entirely new team was formed, with a lot of young players. It was a good Copa America that left us with a good senstation. And from there, everything started.

“I compare the 2014 process a lot because it’s a very similar group, where we got a lot great, where we couldn’t wait to watch the Argentina national team games to enjoy spending time together. That’s how it was like. Very similar, it reminds me a lot of 2014 at group level. How we live our day to day when we are with the national team.

On the 2019 Copa America:

“It was important. The start cost us and we ended with a good feeling against Brazil.”

Lionel Messi commented on Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni and Sergio Agüero.

Messi gave an interview to Star+ where he spoke about the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the previous World Cups. In the same interview, he also spoke about the coach and Sergio Aguero who is now retired. Speaking in the interview, here is what he had to say:

“Scaloni is someone that is very close, he talks a lot with the player, who always tries to be there for whatever. He is a person who lives it a lot, works for football. He enjoys what he does and suffers a lot from the games.

“He deserves everything that he is living because it was not easy the process that he got to start… He was the one who put everything together.”

In regards to Sergio Agüero:

“Obviously I miss Kun. We would share the same room, a lot of years together, we have a friendship.”

Lionel Messi spoke about his future with the Argentina national team in regards to 2022 in Qatar and previous World Cups.

Messi has taken part in every World Cup for Argentina since 2006, having reached the final eight years ago. Now 35 years old, the Argentine is still one of the best players in the world.

He has won a Copa America with the Argentina national team but has yet to win a World Cup. Speaking in an interview with Star+, here is what he had to say:

“Yes, this will surely be my last World Cup. I won’t be a trainer but Zidane said that and after that he was one and was a Champions League winner. I like the sporting director, building a team, accompanying the coach.

“I feel good, physically, I was able to have a very good preseason that I wasn’t able to have last year. It was fundamental to start it another way and to get there.

“I don’t think about what I have achieved. I’m always thinking about what’s to come. There is anxiety and nerves. We can’t wait for it to arrive. We are in a good moment with an armed and very strong group. But anything can happen. The games are all very difficult.”

In regards to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar:

“It’s not always the favorites that go on to win it or do what they hope to do. We are not the big favorites, there are national teams ahead of us but Argentina always is. For its history and what it signifies.

“It’s good to lower the decibels a bit. That we are going to compete, that we are going to fight anyone but let’s not beleive that we are champions. Because we are like that, we already believe we are the best of everything and that we are going to go over anyone that comes and it’s not like that.

“The last World Cup, we believed it was going to be easy, that we would be first in the group and that we would be looking ahead… And no.

“I still think if we would have won the first game, it would have been different. Had I converted the penalty for the 2-1, everything would have been different. You have to go little by little. We are good, anxious, the people have to go and enjoy it.

“It’s very important to win the first game and it won’t be easy. A lot of guys will be playing in their first World Cup, their first game. Whether you like it or not, you don’t know how each is going to handle it.

“I am counting down the days until the World Cup, yes. There’s a little bit of anxiety of wanting it to be now. And the nerves of saying, well, we are here, what’s going to happen. It’s the last one.

“In 2014, we had a spectacular group, a united one. We didn’t stop until the final, which I think we deserved to win. The penalty on Higuain? Yes.”

Nicolás Pareja is set to join Jorge Sampaoli’s coaching staff at Sevilla.

Pareja will start his coaching career with Jorge Sampaoli. According to several reports out of Spain, with Julen Lopetegui no longer coaching Sevilla, it will be Sampaoli coaching the club.

Jorge Sampaoli previously coached Sevilla in 2016-2017 before he took over the Argentina national team. And per the reports, Pareja will be joining him.

The now retired Nicolás Pareja previously played at Sevilla for five years. He won Olympic gold with Argentina in 2008 in Beijing.