عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Messi Praises Home Fans in Possible Farewell before World Cup

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates his side's 3rd goal against Venezuela during a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, at the Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 25, 2022.(AP)
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates his side's 3rd goal against Venezuela during a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, at the Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 25, 2022.(AP)
TT
TT

Messi Praises Home Fans in Possible Farewell before World Cup

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates his side's 3rd goal against Venezuela during a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, at the Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 25, 2022.(AP)
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates his side's 3rd goal against Venezuela during a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, at the Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 25, 2022.(AP)

Lionel Messi paid tribute to Argentina fans in what could be their last home game before November's World Cup finals and said the raucous support in their 3-0 win over Venezuela was vital in preserving his happiness.

"I didn't expect anything less of people, of the union between the Argentina public and this team," Messi said after their comfortable win at Boca Juniors' Bombonera stadium.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has struggled at Paris Saint Germain since signing from Barcelona in August 2021 but he was as spritely as ever against a poor Venezuela side and the adoration of the home crowd was evident.

Argentina fans revere Messi, and all the more so since he led them to the Copa America in 2021 - their first major international honor in 28 years.

The feeling is mutual, with Messi leading his team mates on a victory lap around the ground and chanting and singing along with the 50,000 crowd.

"I've been happy here for a long time, since before we won the Copa America," Messi said.

"People have shown that they love me and I am grateful for that. Everything flows naturally, that makes it easier on and off the pitch."

Friday's game marked Messi's return to the national side after being rested for Argentina's previous two World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.

He made several unsuccessful attempts at goal from free kicks outside the box but eventually score the third, a curious mis-kick meters from goal.

Messi chested down a pass from Angel Di Maria and although he didn't connect cleanly it was enough to beat Venezuela's diving goalkeeper.

The 82nd minute goal came after earlier efforts from Nicolas Gonzalez and Di Maria, whose clever play and passes opened up a stuffy Venezuelan rearguard.

Argentina are one of four South American sides to have qualified for the Qatar finals, along with Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay.

The final round of qualifying games next Tuesday will determine whether Peru, Colombia or Chile go into a playoff against a team from the Asian confederation.

Argentina travel to Ecuador for their final game.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Sinner Gets Past Rune at Australian Open in Match with Net, Medical Delays

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 20, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner shakes hands with Denmark's Holger Rune after winning his fourth round match REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 20, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner shakes hands with Denmark's Holger Rune after winning his fourth round match REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
TT
TT

Sinner Gets Past Rune at Australian Open in Match with Net, Medical Delays

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 20, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner shakes hands with Denmark's Holger Rune after winning his fourth round match REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 20, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner shakes hands with Denmark's Holger Rune after winning his fourth round match REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

First came the medical timeouts, one each for Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune with the temperature above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) at the Australian Open. Then came the unusual sight of a 20-minute delay because the net at Rod Laver Arena detached from the court after being hit by a big Sinner serve.
In the end, Sinner put his physical struggles aside and emerged with the victory — as he keeps doing, no matter the site or the circumstances — and the defending champion moved into the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park on Monday by eliminating the 13th-seeded Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The No. 1-ranked Sinner occasionally tried to cool off by pressing a cold towel to his face or pouring water down the back of his neck, The Associated Press reported. He was far better down the stretch, both after a 10-minute-plus delay in the third set when he went to the locker room for medical attention and after a 20-minute holdup in the fourth when the screw connecting the net to the blue playing surface came undone.
“I knew in my mind ... I would struggle today,” Sinner said during his on-court interview, without saying what was wrong. "Me and the doctor, we talked a little bit. It helped me."
He has won 18 consecutive tour-level matches, dating to late 2024. Last season, Sinner went 73-6 with eight titles, the first man with that many tournament championships in a single year since Andy Murray in 2016.
That haul included Sinner’s first two Grand Slam trophies, at the Australian Open in January and the US Open in September, the latter shortly after he was exonerated for testing positive for an anabolic steroid twice in March. His case is still unresolved, though, with a hearing scheduled for April in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal of the ruling.
Rune, a 21-year-old from Denmark, was trying to get to the quarterfinals in Melbourne for the first time.
Sinner will face No. 8 Alex de Minaur of Australia or unseeded Alex Michelsen of the US for a berth in the semifinals. A second Italian joined Sinner in the quarterfinals when 55th-ranked Lorenzo Sonego got that far at a major tournament for the first time by ending the run of American qualifier Learner Tien 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Sonego will now face No. 21 Ben Shelton of the U.S. or Gael Monfils of France.