Many stories are coming out of the Argentina national team that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Most players reveal the leadership Messi brought to the squad on and off the pitch.
Sevilla defender Gonzalo Montiel shed light on how it is playing alongside Messi on the pitch and how the Paris Saint-Germain star conducts himself among his teammates when the 90 minutes are over.
“On the field, he is an animal, a beast,” Montiel told DSports. “Outside, he is a great person. He kicked the penalty kick as if nothing happened; very calm. He deserved the World Cup. It was what he needed. He won all the titles and he’s still the same person, calm and humble.”
🗣️ Gonzalo Montiel, sobre Lionel Messi, en @DSports:
"Dentro de la cancha es un animal, una bestia. Afuera es una gran persona. El penal en la tanda lo pateó como si nada, tranquilo.
Se merecia el Mundial, era lo que le faltaba. Ganó todos los títulos y sigue siendo la misma… pic.twitter.com/UEGjcLoxPE
— dataref (@dataref_ar) May 30, 2023
Messi’s time with the Argentina national team isn’t over, but it’s nearing the end as he’s turning 36 on June 24. Nonetheless, the veteran might have at least one more international competition, with the 2024 Copa América on the horizon.
There’s a push from the team and those in Argentina for Messi to play in the 2026 World Cup, which Canada, Mexico and the United States will host. However, Messi has yet to confirm that he’ll be playing since it’s still three years away from when the ball gets rolling in North America.
