Former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas admits Argentina’s World Cup victory ‘warmed his heart’ and insists Lionel Messi will ‘be remembered for the next hundred years’… but claims he’s still ‘NOT a fan’ of the PSG star
Alexis Lalas admitted that Argentina’s World Cup victory ‘warmed his heart’, despite his lack of ‘fandom’ for star Lionel Messi.
Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory over France as his brace and Angel Di Maria‘s strike were cancelled out by Kylian Mbappe‘s before they eventually triumphed on penalties in the final Sunday.
The result saw the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner clinch the one trophy that had so far evaded his stunning career.
Soccer analyst Alexis Lalas admitted that Argentina’s World Cup victory ‘warmed his heart’
Following the game, former USMNT defender Lalas confessed that he was happy for Messi and the ‘special’ result but insisted he still wasn’t a fan of the magician.
‘I’m happy for him,’ Lalas began on his State of the Union podcast. ‘I’ve talked about how Messi, relative to other players, doesn’t move me. I’ve talked about how I’m not necessarily a fan of Messi.
‘However, I will absolutely say today that Messi – and this Argentine victory – moved me. It was wonderful to see that passion, that up-and-down that we know a game can be, and ultimately in that moment to see the incredible humanity of him but also of his teammates.
The former US defender said he was happy for Lionel Messi, despite not being a fan
‘There was a lot of tears out there because this gift that we’ve talked about all tournament was finally bestowed on this miracle of a human being, who’s done things on the soccer field that we’ve not seen before.
‘And I’m happy in that sense that he’s been given that gift. You saw how much that meant to him but more importantly how much it meant to his teammates to be able to do that. Even though at times, it looked like it was being taken out of their hands.’
The FOX Sports pundit admitted he could enjoy Argentina’s victory as he recognized how much Messi means to soccer fans.
Messi casually rolled in his spot-kick to give Argentina the lead in the shootout after extra time
‘I know I can be a grump,’ he added. ‘I know I can be a grouch. I know I can be a Grinch. But this warmed my heart. I enjoyed it and I can celebrate it, the way I would any other player or another team. But this is special. This is somebody that has brought joy to so many – not just Argentine fans – but to so many out there.
‘I’m glad he gets that moment because, despite my fandom or lack of fandom, I want good things for someone who has fundamentally changed the game and who will be remembered not just for the next decades, but possibly the next one hundred years as one of the greatest players ever to play the game.’
After Sunday’s game, Messi has played 172 times for Argentina and has scored 98 goals following his double-strike against France.
Messi scored his first from the penalty spot to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. Angel di Maria made it 2-0 in the first half and Argentina looked set for a smooth victory when he rounded off a sweeping passing move with a clinical finish.
Messi put Argentina ahead from the spot as they took advantage of a sloppy start from France
The PSG star thought he had won it in extra time as he put Argentina 3-2 up in extra time
Kylian Mbappe levelled from the spot with his second penalty to send the final to a shootout
But with 10 minutes left on the clock, France striker Kylian Mbappe – Messi’s teammate at French side PSG – turned the game on its head with two goals in two minutes, including one from the penalty spot himself.
That took the game to extra time and for a moment, it felt like momentum had slipped away from Argentina.
Messi struck again, from close range, in the 108th minute but one final twist was still to come.
Mbappe got his hat-trick after a handball in the France penalty area and the game went down to a shootout.
Messi and Mbappe scored their penalties but Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for France.
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