Messi Eager To Banish 2014 World Cup Disappointment By Winning In Russia

Argentine captain, Lionel Messi says winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia is the only way to overcome the heartache of losing the 2014 FIFA World Cup final to Germany.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, will lead Argentina against Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria in Group D as they target their third FIFA World Cup title.

Messi explains his motivation to return to international football with La Albiceleste after announcing his retirement.

“After saying the words, I thought about it with a cool head and realised that leaving the national team gave the wrong message to the youngsters and the people who fight for their dreams. You have to keep trying,” Messi told TyC Sports.

“The fact we were finalists and weren’t able to win is a weight that we carry. We want to overcome that barrier.”

Messi also added that Argentina’s 6-1 loss to Spain in an international friendly in March, was not a true reflection of La Albiceleste’s performance.

“It was a false result because Argentina were much better in the first half, had more possession for quite some time, and that’s not at all easy.”