Ellos no pueden soltar un gol que les hizo Maradona con la mano hace 40 años y nosotros tenemos que soltar la usurpación del territorio argentino al día de hoy. Arrancá vos soltándole la pija a la corona un rato.
🚨 Arsene Wenger on Lionel Messi's hat-trick and becoming the World Cup's all time leading goalscorer:
🗣“What we witnessed today goes beyond another record. It is the continuation of a career that has consistently redefined the standards of excellence in football.
It wasn't simply a hat-trick,it was the quality of the goals, the intelligence behind every decision, and the efficiency with which Messi influenced the game. Those are the qualities that separate truly exceptional players from the rest.
For many years people have tried to compare Messi with other great footballers, but there comes a point where comparisons lose their meaning. He has built a legacy that stands on its own.
What fascinates me most is his evolution. I genuinely don't know whether the young Messi, with his explosive pace and dribbling, was better than the experienced Messi we see today, who controls every moment of the game with his intelligence and understanding. Very few players improve with age the way he has.
The emotion after his second goal revealed another side of his greatness. It reminded everyone of the difficult journey he has had with Argentina,the disappointments, the criticism, and the perseverance that eventually led to glory. That emotional connection with his country continues to drive him.
To score his first World Cup hat trick while becoming the tournament's all time leading goalscorer is an extraordinary achievement. It is another milestone in a career that already seemed impossible to improve.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect is his longevity. He finished the 2022 World Cup by lifting the trophy after scoring twice in the final, and he has opened the 2026 tournament with a hattrick. At almost 39 years of age, he continues to perform with the same clarity, technical quality, and love for the game that defined him in his twenties.
That is the mark of a truly timeless footballer.”
Wayne Rooney on Lionel Messi crying after scoring in Argentina’s opening World Cup game:
🗣️ “That image tells you everything about what football means to Lionel Messi.”
“People see the trophies, the records, the fame... but they don't always see the emotion and pressure that comes with carrying a nation’s hopes.”
“This is his sixth World Cup, he has achieved almost everything in football, yet scoring for Argentina on this stage still brings tears to his eyes.”
“That’s because it means something. It’s not about statistics, it’s about passion, pride, and representing your country.”
“When a player like Messi cries after a goal, you realise he still loves the game as much as he did as a kid.”
“Moments like this are why football is the greatest sport in the world.”
“Es hora de que el mundo deje de esconderse y acepte el hecho de que LIONEL MESSI ES EL MEJOR JUGADOR DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS”.
Las palabras de Ronaldo Nazário, uff. 🚬
Vladimir Petković on Lionel Messi’s masterclass against Algeria in Argentina’s World Cup opener:
🗣️ “We came into this match with a plan, with discipline, with belief… but sometimes football puts you against a player who can destroy even the best preparation with a single touch of the ball.”
“What Lionel Messi produced tonight was not just a great performance, it was a football lesson delivered by one of the greatest minds and talents this sport has ever seen.”
“You tell your players to stay compact, stay focused, don't give him space… and then somehow he still finds a way to create magic where there should be none.”
“The most frustrating thing is that you can actually do many things right defensively and still end up suffering because he sees passes, movements, and opportunities that nobody else on the pitch can see.”
“At 38 years old, most players are talking about retirement, managing minutes, or slowing down. Messi is still deciding World Cup matches, breaking records, and making elite defenders look helpless.”
“I looked at my bench after his third goal and there was almost disbelief on everyone's face. Not because we were losing, but because we were witnessing something special that may never happen again.”
“People will talk about the hat-trick, the records, and the statistics, but what impressed me most was the authority. He controlled the match as if the game itself was moving at his pace.”
“I have coached against great players in my career, but tonight felt different. Tonight felt like football history stopping for ninety minutes to remind the world exactly who Lionel Messi is.”