Everything Lionel Messi had to say after Argentina’s win over Panama

On a night of high emotions, Argentina stepped out in front of 80,000 fans at River Plate’s El Monumental stadium as World Champions, the first time they had played a game since winning the 2022 World Cup. They took on Panama in a friendly game, winning 2-0.

The loudest cheer of the night arguably came towards the end of the match, where, after 2 attempts that thumped the woodwork (with one of the rebounds put in by Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada), Lionel Messi dipped a ludicrous free-kick up and over the wall before watching the ball float into the top corner, sealing a 2 goal lead in a hard-fought victory.

Messi takes to the microphone

After the game, a microphone was handed to Lionel Messi, the star of the show and the entire country. Here is what he had to say to the jubilant 80,000 fans that had come to see him:

“Good evening, I can’t hear myself very well so I don’t know what I’m going to say. First of all, thank you all for the support we have received not only since becoming world champions, but even before the Copa América.”

‘World Cup the biggest of them all’

“I always dreamed of this moment, being able to celebrate with you all, to come to my country, to Argentina, and lift a trophy. The Copa América, the Finalíssima, and then the biggest one of them all: the World Cup.

I know this is a day for us, a day in which we are all celebrating as champions, but I don’t want to forget all those teammates who came before us, who also made it possible. Unfortunately we couldn’t do it then, but we were close, and they deserve the respect and the recognition of the Argentinian people.”

Finally, Messi closed with a wish: “Now it’s time to enjoy this third star because we don’t know how long it will be until the next one. Hopefully not too long.”