Lionel Messi, the star of the Argentina national team, justified the difficulty his team faced, both in attack and defense, during the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
Although Tango advanced with two clean goals in the 73rd minute, the Dutch side managed to snatch an equalizer in the original half of the life of the top.
The Argentina national team then prevailed, 4-3, on penalties, when Emiliano Martinez, the star goalkeeper, saved the Millers’ first two penalties.
Messi admitted: “It was a very difficult match. It was really difficult from the first whistle, and we knew it would go like this.”
The 35-year-old explained: “The Dutch national team gave us problems with their long balls and the presence of many of their players in their own penalty area. They equalized at the end of the game and we suffered.”
Messi added: “But we managed to reach the quarter-finals, and that’s what we wanted.”
The Tango captain described his feelings when the victory over the Netherlands was confirmed and said: “When Lautaro Martinez scored (the last penalty), there was great joy in the atmosphere and we took off a great weight from the chest”.
