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.”
Thierry Henry on Lionel Messi becoming the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick and the player with the most goals from outside the box in World Cup history:
🗣️ “I honestly don't know what more there is left to say about Lionel Messi anymore. Every time you think he has reached the top of the mountain, he somehow finds another peak that nobody else has ever climbed before.”
“The oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. Just stop and think about that for a second. At an age when most players are retired, coaching, or sitting in television studios, Messi is still breaking records on the biggest stage in football.”
“And it's not just the hat-trick that amazes me. He now has more World Cup goals from outside the box than anyone in history. That tells you everything about the level of technique, vision, and confidence we are talking about.”
“These are not lucky goals. These are moments of genius. The type of goals where everyone in the stadium knows what he wants to do, but nobody can stop him from doing it anyway.”
“What makes this even more incredible is that this is his sixth World Cup. Six World Cups. Different generations, different teammates, different opponents, yet the same outcome every single time Lionel Messi deciding matches.”
“People always ask what makes certain players special. Well, special players break records. Legends create records. Messi is doing both at the same time while carrying the expectations of an entire nation.”
“I've played against some of the greatest footballers in history, I've watched some of the greatest footballers in history, but what Messi continues to do at 38 years old simply doesn't make sense.”
“This is no longer about talent. This is no longer about numbers. This is football history unfolding right before our eyes, and every single match feels like another chapter in a story that nobody thought was possible.”
Leo Messi: "I can't ask for anything more, God gave me too much, now everything is just to enjoy.
"I'm just happy to being considered as one of the best in football history, I'm just grateful to be considered among many great players..."
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.”
20 years of Messi ✨
#FIFAWorldCu20 years of Messi ✨
#FIFAWorldCu20 years of Messi ✨
#FIFAWorldCu20 years of Messi ✨
#FIFAWorldCu20 years of Messi ✨
#FIFAWorldCu20 years of Messi ✨
#FIFAWorldCup
Tu último Mundial, el último del mejor jugador de la historia. Pase lo que pase, gracias, acompañarte tantos años fue lo mejor de mi vida. Regalame el último baile, te lo pido por favor