Football Previews
Argentina’s World Cup captain Lionel Messi has declared he would give up all his personal records if only it would help Argentina lift the World Cup this year.
Argentina meet Germany in the final on Sunday at the iconic Maracana – Messi – whose side reached the final courtesy of a 4-2 post-match penalty win over the Dutch on Wednesday after a difficult nil-nil draw in both normal and extra time – is not hiding the fact that he is wary of Germany’s goal-scoring machine that walloped and humiliated Brazil 7-1 on home soil in the first World Cup semi-final on Tuesday.
Messi has so far scored four times in the World Cup to help Argentina reach this year’s final showdown with the Germans.
Argentina fell to then West Germany at the World Cup Final in 1990 and will be out for revenge on Sunday.
Though the Barcelona forward has won an array of prestigious cups and awards with the Spanish giants he claims he would give up all his prestige and glory if only to taste the feeling of being declared World Cup champion.
Messi says that winning the World Cup remains the greatest thing there is for a soccer player. It is something that one dreams of as a youngster, a dream that never fades away.
The forward adds that he has asked his Barcelona team-mates Xavi Hernandez, Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta what it feels like to lift the World Cup trophy and be declared World Champion and they all said it is something that is really hard to explain.
The forward’s desperation to grab a 3rd World Cup title for his country was echoed by Javier Mascherano, who also promised that his side would give everything they can for victory at Maracana.
“We are there (at the 2014 World Cup Final) and we will try it with the soul, heart and head”, said the 30-year-old.
Can Messi’s dream come true against the all-conquering Germans? Only hours remain before we will know.
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