Manchester City forward Julián Álvarez was on the Argentina national team that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup last December. The 23-year-old spoke with DirecTV Sports (h/t AS), where he opened up about the experience.
Álvarez spoke about being on the team that helped Lionel Messi win the World Cup, which had long eluded the 35-year-old.
“Seeing [Messi] so happy was incredible,” Álvarez told the media outlet. “The Copa América was his first title with the National Team after wanting it so much. I told him that I was much happier that he achieved it than I did. As an Argentine, having grown up watching him … I really wanted for it to happen to him because he deserved it.
“For Leo, the first game was a hard thing to take. After the game in Mexico, it was a relief and something that brought us a lot of strength as a group. That feeling remained to win against Poland; the tie was easy. Afterward, I don’t know if he was calmer, but he looked good; the worst part for us was over. Now everything depended on us and the truth is that as a group, we were great, which was reflected on the pitch.”
The Paris Saint-Germain star had been close to winning the trophy in 2014 but fell short in the final to Germany. In 2018, the South American nation lost in the Round of 16, crashing out earlier than some might have expected.
Nonetheless, Messi now has the trophy that allows him to have the GOAT status as not having a World Cup in his trophy case. Now the Argentine will have to focus on his future, considering he will become a free agent after his contract with PSG expires in June.
After winning a World Cup, it seems Messi wants one last crack at winning a UEFA Champions League trophy since it’s been nearly a decade since he lifted that silverware.
