Last Update: December 20, 2022, 15:04 IST
Lionel Messi (right) celebrates with teammate Rodrigo de Paul. (AP Photo)
The midfielder left Messi before the start of the FIFA World Cup, promising that Argentina would win the trophy
Rodrigo de Paul left a note in his room for teammate Lionel Messi during the Argentina camp two months before FIFA world Cup 2022, predicting the fate of their campaign.
“I’m Rodrigo De Paul (7). It’s 9/18/2022. I sign this paper and say we will win the World Cup two months from now,” the note from the Atletico Madrid midfielder said.
De Paul posts a picture of a paper in which he writes: “I’m Rodrigo De Paul (7). It’s 9/18/2022. I sign this paper and say that two months from now we Will win the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/eZTJs9lsjh
— mc (@CrewsMat10) December 18, 2022
At the time, the Argentine team was in the midst of their World Cup preparations with international friendlies against Honduras and Jamaica. La Albiceleste came into the tournament with an incredible 36-match unbeaten streak.
They were one of the favorites to lift the trophy, but a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening game of the tournament shook their confidence.
Despite the setback, Lionel Scaloni’s men fought hard and won their remaining group games to qualify for the next round.
Messi then rose to the occasion by scoring a goal in each of the knockout games of the tournament, making him the only player in World Cup history to do so.
This feat is even more impressive as he had never scored after the group stages of the World Cup prior to the Qatar edition.
De Paul’s work rate and dogged mentality gave the Argentine an edge between the turf. The 28-year-old worked tirelessly, including in the final where France found it difficult to hold the ball for long.
Messi won the Golden Ball award after scoring seven goals and three assists in seven games during the competition, cementing his place as one of the greatest players of all time.
The Paris Saint-Germain star scored two goals in the finale, matching his brilliance with club team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who bagged a hat-trick on the night, as the game went into a shootout.
He is only the second player after 23-year-old Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
Angel Di Maria and Emiliano Martínez also played key roles in helping Argentina lift their first World Cup trophy since 1986.
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