Messi accepted a long exclusive interview with ESPN

Messi has granted an extensive exclusive interview to ESPN, during which he intricately revisited the emotional journey of the entire Qatar World Cup and looked ahead to his future with the national team. It's worth noting that when Messi was once again confronted with the question of whether he would participate in the 2026 World Cup, his attitude seemed to show signs of wavering.



The defeat in the opening match against Saudi Arabia in the Qatar World Cup

We were very confident, based on our performance, our style of play, knowing what we had to do, and we executed it perfectly, everything went smoothly. No one thought about that opening match because it should have been the easiest in the group stage. After that loss, I started to consider countless things, and those were very difficult days.

The next day, we were allowed to go out with visitors or do whatever we wanted. I wanted that day to pass so that everyone could forget what happened, and then I sent a message to everyone. It was at that moment that we began to move forward, and everyone expressed their views on that moment. There was nothing to blame each other for; it was just an unfortunate event. At that moment, we didn't fall, and we continued to believe in what we had been doing. We couldn't have any doubts about ourselves, and there was no need to change anything. We just needed to forget everything that happened, start from scratch because if we could win the next two matches, we would still advance as the group leaders.

Facing Mexico and the fear of elimination

Playing against Mexico is extremely challenging. They have always been a tough opponent, and we have faced them many times. Although we have won almost every time, each match has been very difficult. They can control the ball and force you to run, leaving you unsure of how to exert pressure on them. In terms of direct confrontation, this is one of the most difficult matches.

Scoring against Mexico

The first thing I did when I received the ball was to prepare for a goal. I didn't think much; I saw space in front of me, and I took the shot. It's not like I had thought it through; it was just something I had to do, so I went for it.

After that goal, the team started playing like they used to. They shed the burden on their shoulders, became more relaxed, and the game changed. We knew the World Cup had begun for us, and the match against Mexico was the most important. We needed to be our former selves more than ever, and the team has been performing better in every match.

We have a strong team, and the right situations have arisen just as they should. Before the World Cup started, Jo (Lo Celso) got injured; he was a crucial player who had been playing in every game. Enzo (Fernandez) hadn't played much before that, joining the team at the last minute. Leandro (Paredes) faced a similar situation; he had been playing but didn't get much game time in the World Cup. Then Alexis (Mac Allister) came in during the World Cup, experiencing a situation similar to Enzo's. Lauti's (Lautaro Martinez) ankle wasn't feeling well, and Julian (Alvarez) came in - it was crazy, but thankfully, everything worked out in the end.