World Cup winner Lionel Messi regretted his testy exchanges with the Netherlands coach and players during their controversial quarterfinal in Qatar, he said in an interview aired on Monday.
Messi gave his first interview since lifting the trophy in December to radio Urbana Play of Buenos Aires. The Argentina captain spoke about the feisty clash with the Dutch which the South Americans won in a penalty shootout. A record 17 yellow cards were issued, including one to Messi for dissent.
When Messi scored from the spot in regular time, he stood in front of Dutch coach Louis van Gaal and cupped both hands to his ears. After the game, he gesticulated to the Dutch bench and insulted striker Wout Weghorst, who scored twice in regulation.
바카라I don바카라t like what I did, I don바카라t like what happened afterward,바카라 Messi said. 바카라These are moments of a lot of tension, a lot of nerves. It is very quick and people react the way they react. Nothing was planned, it just happened.바카라
That quarterfinal was surrounded by controversy. Before the encounter, Van Gaal said his players were better prepared than their rivals for a penalty shootout. He also said 바카라Messi did not touch the ball바카라 in the semifinal between the teams in the 2014 World Cup; Argentina also won that tie in a penalty shootout.
Messi said his teammates told him what Van Gaal said to stimulate him.
About his moment with Weghorst, Messi said it was 바카라natural.바카라
바카라I reacted that way. There had been many things with this player, moments of tension like these . . . I was at the mixed zone, it had just happened,바카라 Messi said. 바카라I don바카라t like to leave that image, but these things happen.바카라
Messi also said Argentina 바카라in general was better than its rivals바카라 and picked Mexico, its second group opponent as 바카라the toughest.바카라
바카라It was the worst match we played because of all the things involved in winning it or not,바카라 Messi said. Argentina lost its opener to Saudi Arabia 2-1 in one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, and had to beat Mexico to stay in playoffs contentions. Mexico was beaten 2-0.
Messi said he has not watched the final against France. Argentina won the final on penalties to win its first World Cup title since 1986.
바카라Since that day, everything changed for me,바카라 he said. 바카라By luck, what we dreamed about so much happened. I wished that so much in my career and, at the end, it came.바카라
Asked what he would tell Messi in his childhood if he could, the star said: 바카라Something extraordinary awaits, you can바카라t imagine. You will have a beautiful path, with some tough moments that you will have to overcome, but never give your dreams away because at the end you will get your most desired reward. Your film will have a happy ending.바카라
