Argentina’s Lionel Messi admits he is envious of his Spanish friends and teammates for having won the World Cup.
Several of the 26-year-old’s Barcelona colleagues were part of La Roja’s winning squad of 2010, but the attacking midfielder himself is yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals in two attempts.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi admits he is envious of his Spanish friends and teammates for having won the World Cup.
Several of the 26-year-old’s Barcelona colleagues were part of La Roja’s winning squad of 2010, but the attacking midfielder himself is yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals in two attempts.
Speaking during an interview with ESPN, the four-time Ballon d’Or winner also said it is hard to choose who his team’s toughest individual opponent during this summer’s tournament will be.
“The only important thing for me is to play football,” Messi said. “I have always done that since I was a boy, and I will continue to do that now.
“I’ve always said that I when I stopped enjoying this sport I would stop playing. I play because I enjoy it.
“My strongest opponent? There’s Neymar, Iniesta, Xavi, Cristiano, Robben and Ribery, I don’t want to single out anyone.
“I want to win the World Cup, but not just so that I can change people’s opinion of me. I want to add the World Cup to the list of trophies I have won.
“I envy my Spanish friends, I wish I were in their place having already won the tournament.”