New Jersey.– Lionel Messi called on Argentina’s national team to “enjoy” the moment, after qualifying for the 2024 Copa América Final in the United States on Tuesday by beating Canada 2-0 and will defend its continental title.
“The truth is that what this group did, what the Argentine national team has been doing, is crazy, because after all this, value is given to all the finals that I and the old team played in,” Messi said in the TyC Sports broadcast.
“It’s not easy for us to be in the final again, to compete again to be champions,” said the number 10. “I’m experiencing it like I experienced the last Copa America, the last World Cup (…). These are the last battles and I’m enjoying them to the fullest,” continued the star, remembering other players with long careers with whom he shares the Albiceleste squad, such as Ángel Di María.
With goals from Julián Álvarez and Messi himself, the team coached by Lionel Scaloni defeated Canada to earn the right to decide the continental championship next Sunday in Miami against the winner of the semifinal between Uruguay and Colombia on Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Messi, 37, said it had been a “difficult” tournament.
“It’s a difficult cup, very close, with very bad pitches, high temperatures, very tough teams, and being in the final again is something to enjoy,” he insisted.
Argentina won the previous edition of the Copa América, in 2021 in Brazil, and then won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“It is a source of pride for Argentines, representing this national team, to be able to play in another final,” said goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
“It feels like it was the first.”
“Dibu” Martínez was satisfied with his performance.
“I said (before the tournament started) that the best ‘Dibu’ is yet to come. I’m working towards that, I feel better every time, I make better decisions on the pitch and whenever they score a goal against me I always correct myself a lot,” he said.
The top scorer Julián Álvarez said that the Albiceleste players will wait “calmly” for the opponent they face, be it Uruguay or Colombia.
“We are calm. We are looking to see who our next opponent is, rest and prepare for the match.
“It seems easy (to qualify) because of everything we’ve been doing, but we mustn’t forget that it’s not easy, that we deserve it, that we’ve been working very well and, well, we’re in another final and we’re going to face it as it deserves,” concluded the Manchester City striker.
With information from AFP
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