Skip to main content

AM NOT A DECEIVER – LEO MESSI

Messi: I did not deceive anybody

Lionel Messi says he "did not deceive anybody" after making his first appearance for Argentina since reversing his decision to retire from international football. 

Messi shocked the footballing world with his decision to retire from the Argentina national team following their loss to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final in June. 

The defeat was the third in three years Messi and Co. had suffered in the final of a major international tournament. 

However, after a meeting with new Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza - who flew to Europe to meet with Messi - the Barcelona star elected to return to the national team.

And on Thursday he proved to be Argentina's hero, scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Uruguay to move top of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualification standings. 

Messi insists he did not attempt to fool anyone with his decision to retire, believing it was the right call to make at the time. 

"I am very grateful [to return to the national team]," Messi told TV Publica. "But I did not deceive anybody when I retired, I felt that. 

"We were very disappointed with what had happened, but after that I thought better. 

"I had a conversation with the Paton [Bauza] and the people as well accompanied me through it."

However, the 29-year-old is a doubt for Argentina's next qualifier against Venezuela due to injury. 

"I don't know if I will play against Venezuela," he said. "I have a lot of pain in my groin but I wanted to be here after the disturbance I caused."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Fellaini Signs New Deal

Fellaini agrees to stay at the English giants by finally agreeing to a new deal after several weeks of being linked with Arsenal and a host of other clubs. In a club statement released on the official club website, earlier today; "Manchester United is delighted to announce that Marouane Fellaini has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until June 2020, with the option to extend for a further year". Fellaini, 30, joined United in 2013 and has made 156 appearances and scored 20 goals. During his time at the club he has won the FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Europa League and Community Shield. Marouane Fellaini said: “I am pleased to be continuing my journey as a Manchester United player. I made this decision because I am very happy here. Also, I feel like this team, under Jose, still has a lot we want to achieve. “I would like to say a special thank you to Jose for the faith he has always shown in me. My focus now is on the World Cup and I am looking forwa...

Depay: I'm a team player

The Manchester United winger has acknowledged his form is "not very good" at present, but rejected suggestions he is selfish Netherlands winger Memphis Depay has rejected Danny Blind's suggestion that he is not a team player and insists he is working as hard as ever to rediscover his best form. The 21-year-old inspired PSV to the Eredivisie title last season but has struggled to adapt to the Premier League since joining Manchester United for €27.5 million during the summer. Netherlands boss Blind claimed last week that Depay "does not always function for the team" but still included the the forward in his squad for the upcoming friendlies with Wales and Germany. "When I spoke to Danny Blind [after linking up with Netherlands], it was a very good conversation," the Red Devils forward told  NOS . "I think I’m a team player and the other players in the team also think that. “I don’t think I’m in a difficult path of my career, as the media says...

Klopp An Unlucky Man In Cup Finals

Jurgen Klopp said he has never been on the lucky side of a wrong decision in a final after his Liverpool team lost 3-1 to Sevilla in the Europa League final on Wednesday. In his post-match news conference, Klopp was asked by a German reporter for his thoughts on Andujar Coke's second goal after the referee overruled his linesman on an offside call. Replays later showed that the ball had clearly come off Philippe Coutinho into the attacker's path but Klopp said it was the first time had ever seen a referee overrule his linesman. "I've had a lot of games as a coach but it is not that often that a referee overrules the linesman," the German said. "But right after the match someone said it was the right decision because Coutinho has played the pass." Klopp said he felt like he never had luck in finals, having seen at least two penalty appeals waved away in the first half. "You speak German so I guess you've seen some finals...