Lionel Messi stepped out of Diego Maradona’s shadow by main Argentina to World Cup victory final yr and a statue of the diminutive ahead will stand alongside these of his predecessor and Brazil nice Pele on the South American federation’s museum.
Messi, holding a duplicate of the World Cup trophy, stood beside the life-size statue at an unveiling ceremony on the South American Soccer Federation (CONMEBOL) headquarters in Luque, Paraguay earlier than the Copa Libertadores draw on Monday.
The 35-year-old emulated the late Maradona by main Argentina to their first World Cup triumph in 36 years in Qatar in December.
“I had by no means dreamed or thought of this,” Messi mentioned. “My dream was to get pleasure from what I appreciated once I was little, to be an expert soccer participant, to do what I at all times beloved on this life.
“I had a really lengthy highway, many selections and defeats, however I at all times appeared forward and wished to go for a triumph, for a victory.
“I feel that’s crucial factor, to battle in your goals, that the whole lot is feasible and to benefit from the recreation, which is essentially the most lovely factor there’s.”
The Argentina gamers and coach Lionel Scaloni additionally acquired miniature trophies of the World Cup and the Copa America, which they gained in 2021.
The Argentine Soccer Federation renamed the nationwide staff’s coaching facility after Messi on Saturday, two days after he scored his 800th profession objective in a 2-0 pleasant win over Panama.
Messi has scored 99 objectives for his nation and would develop into the primary Argentina participant to internet 100 worldwide objectives if he scores in Tuesday’s pleasant towards Curacao.
This story has been revealed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content.