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ATLANTA (AP) \u2014 Lionel Messi’s move to the United States will look like a huge success if he leads Argentina to back-to-back championships. world cup<\/span> title.<\/p>\nhis decision is Joins Inter Miami in 2023<\/span> He has already delivered positive results for all parties, raising the profile of soccer in the United States, bringing titles to the club and writing a new chapter in his storied career. <\/p>\nHowever, Argentina could be the biggest winners as Messi will be playing his final World Cup with his strength remaining. stratospheric level<\/span> 38 years old. <\/p>\n“Leo will continue to be the best player for as long as he wants. He has been doing that every game for the last 20 years,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.<\/p>\n
Thierry Henry described him as “on the moon” after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening game against Algeria.<\/p>\n
“Leo is just different. It’s just a different topic,” Henry told Fox Sports. <\/p>\n
messi scored First World Cup hat trick<\/span> They also tied the game with 16 goals, making Miroslav Klose the top scorer in the competition’s history. <\/p>\n“I tried to prepare myself in the best way so that I felt physically good, felt useful and could help the group,” Messi said. <\/p>\n
That’s an understatement.<\/p>\n
Even though they said it was the last World Cup, probably his last<\/span>Messi was once again central to the Argentina team, becoming their greatest creative and attacking threat. At this stage in his career, that wasn’t a guarantee.<\/p>\n“We should be used to this, but when it comes to Argentina, if we needed any more confirmation that Messi is the system, the tactics, the formation, the identity, he is the heart,” FOX analyst Alexi Lalas said after the 3-0 win against Algeria. \u201cIt was an eye-opener.\u201d<\/p>\n
Messi hasn’t lost his rhythm after moving to the US<\/h2>\n
Messi left the intensity of European soccer to join Inter Miami in 2023, giving Major League Soccer a huge boost.<\/p>\n
He said he wanted to “live soccer in a different way,” which included a change in family life in the United States, but also a reduced level of competition compared to Europe’s top leagues.<\/p>\n
But Messi appears to have benefited from the move, even as top players warn of burnout due to football’s hectic schedule. He has played fewer games in the United States than at the peak of his Barcelona career, when he could play more than 50 games a season. His performance at the start of this World Cup shows he has not lost his sharpness despite not regularly facing the world’s top defenders in MLS.<\/p>\n
“I love to play, I love to compete, and to be in the World Cup again today, wherever it is, brings added happiness, but I’m preparing as I have throughout my entire career,” he said.<\/p>\n
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is already considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time. But even past his prime, he reached new heights on the sport’s biggest stage.<\/p>\n
The long-awaited victory in the 2022 World Cup was leave barcelona<\/span>Although they won the Champions League title and set a new goalscoring record, they often fell short of Argentina in international tournaments. <\/p>\nAt the age of 35, he played in his fifth World Cup with Paris Saint-Germain and finally won the one trophy that had eluded him. Then again, Argentina may have benefited from the departure of its icon at club level.<\/p>\n
PSG had hoped Messi’s arrival would help them reach the Champions League, but competition within France is not as highly regarded as it is in Spain. Messi no longer faces intense football on a weekly basis.<\/p>\n
He had his best performance at the 2022 World Cup, scoring seven goals, including two in the final, where Argentina defeated France on penalties. At the last tournament in Russia, he scored only one goal.<\/p>\n
Messi inspires his teammates<\/h2>\n
He returned again four years later and is eager to do more. <\/p>\n
Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo de Paul said: Both players underwent additional training.<\/span> This is to make sure you are in the best possible condition for the tournament. <\/p>\n“We took our own lives to physically arrive in the best possible way,” De Paul said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Messi said he drew inspiration from Rafa Nadal after watching a Netflix documentary series about the tennis great’s drive to stay at the top.<\/p>\n
“I’m very similar in that sense. I always want to feel good. As long as I can and as long as I’m well, I’ll be there,” Messi said.<\/p>\n
He is truly the biggest inspiration for his teammates. <\/p>\n
“What Leo puts out is spectacular, but difficult to explain,” Scaloni said. \u201cHis teammates see him as a god and as the kid next door.<\/p>\n
“To be honest, I’m at a loss for words. Not only does he score goals, it’s what he conveys to his teammates and fans. We will miss him.”<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP Sports Writer Deborah Ray contributed to this report from Dallas.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
James Robson is https:\/\/x.com\/James Saran Robson<\/span><\/p>\n___<\/p>\n
AP World Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/fifa-world-cup<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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