Messi Says Regarding Controversy in World Cup Quarters Against the Netherlands
- Buenos Aires: World Cup winner Lionel Messi regretted his testy exchanges with the Nether lands coach and players during their controversial quarterfinal in Qatar, he said in an interview aired on Monday.
- Messi gave his first interview since lifting the trophy in December to radio Urbana Play of Buenos Aires. The Argentina captain spoke about the feisty clash with the Dutch which the South Americans won in a penalty shootout. A record 17 yellow cards were issued, including one to Messi for dissent.
- When Messi scored from the spot in regular time, he stood in front of Dutch coach Louis van Gaal and cupped both hands to his ears. After the game, he gesticulated to the Dutch bench and insulted striker Wout Weghorst, who scored twice in regulation.
- "I don't like what I did, I don't like what happened afterward," Messi said.
- "These are moments of a lot of tension, a lot of nerves. It is very quick, and people react the way they react. Nothing was planned, it just happened."
- Messi said his teammates told him what Van Gaal said to stimulate him. About his moment with Weghorst, Messi said it was "natural."
- "I reacted that way. There had been many things with this play- er, moments of tension like these just happened," Messi said. "I don't like to leave that image, but these things happen."
- Messi also said Argentina "in general was better than its rivals" and picked Mexico, its second group opponent as "the toughest."
- "It was the worst match we played because of all the things involved in winning it or not," Messi said. Argentina lost its opener to Saudi Arabia 2-1 in one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history and had to beat Mexico to stay in playoffs contentions. Mexico was beaten 2-0.
- Messi said he has not watched the final against France. "Since that day, everything changed for me," he said. "By luck, what we dreamed about so much happened. I wished that so much in my career and, at the end, it came."