Messi "too superstitious" to shave lucky new beard off

Leo Messi is feeling confident that Argentina can go on to win the Copa América and end their barren run once and for all after ending as runners-up at World Cup Brazil 2014 and in last year's Copa América in Chile which they lost in the penalty shoot-out.

The Barça player also spoke about his new hirsute look - a dashing beard which he says his team mates wouldn't let him shave even if he wanted to: “If I lose the beard the others would kill me. We believe this is a kabbalah so we will be able to break our bad run and win the trophy".

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Argentina's barren run stretches back to 1993, when they beat Mexico 2-1 in the final in Ecuador. But since then, the Albiceleste have reached the final three times but ended on the losing side each time - to Brazil in 2004 and 2007 and tournament hosts Chile last year.

For that reason, Messi is reluctant to shave off his talismanic new beard when things are going so well: “There's no way I'm shaving it off now, my team mates wouldn't let me”.

Argentina went into the tournament as favourites alongside Brazil and Uruguay who have bothe bowed out. And his new beard seems to be bringing him luck - he hit a hat trick in under half an hour on his tournament debut against Panama, so it's best not to change anything now - even his new look.