Lionel Messi believes a certain moment in the semi-final against England played a big role in Argentina’s progress to the final. The superstar said that after the 1-1 equalizer, the team sensed on the pitch that their opponents weren’t going to come back, and that they could have won 2-1 without needing extra time. According to Messi, toward the end of the match, Argentina were completely dominant in attack, and they could tell that England had lost their edge.
“It was a very emotional moment,” Messi said after the match in the mixed zone. “When we equalized, the support from the stands gave us confidence. We knew we could win the match in 90 minutes. We had them cornered. We were attacking through the middle, down the flanks, creating chances with crosses and through balls… We felt like they didn’t want to play anymore, and we came very close to winning it there.”
The Argentine captain also highlighted the role of the crowd. The thunderous cheers from Argentine fans in the stands after the equalizer gave the team a huge boost in securing their place in the final.
“The fans helped us incredibly again after the 1-1 draw. As I’ve said, Argentina is really special, because we wanted to win this match at all costs. And this win gives us the chance to play in another World Cup final.”
The Albiceleste will take on Spain at New Jersey Stadium on Saturday at 3:00 AM Bangladesh time, aiming to win their fourth World Cup title. The reigning world champions have a chance to become the first team in 64 years to lift the trophy for a second consecutive time.
