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Lionel Messi has expressed his delight over Argentina's triumph in the finalissima against Italy on Wednesday, stating that it was a beautiful experience. The two teams met in a much-anticipated CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, a one-off showdown between the EURO 2020 winners and Copa America 2021 winners.
The game was expected to be a nail-biter but Argentina outclassed the European champions securing a 3-0 win, with Lionel Messi providing two assists. It should be noted, though, that Gli Azzurri were missing some of their first-team players.
Lionel Messi was impressed with the atmosphere created by the fans at the Wembley. He said, as quoted by the Telegraph:
"What we experienced here was beautiful. We knew it was going to be a nice game and a nice setting in which to be champions."
The 34-year-old rolled back the years with an all-round performance, and though he failed to find the back of the net, he provided assists for the first and third goals of the game, which earned him the Player of the Match award.
It was the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star's second major trophy with the national team in two years. The lack of success at international level has always been the one thing blighting his otherwise illustrious career. It seems his fortunes have begun to change with the national team.
Lionel Messi was the star of the show during and after the match in the finalissima
Lionel Messi contributed to 20 goals in Ligue 1 with PSG this season (six goals, 14 assists), which is low by his standards, but he has been in rich form with Argentina over the last 12 months.
He has scored 10 goals since last June and also picked up seven assists across World Cup qualifiers, Copa America and international friendlies. He also earned rave reviews for his performance in the finalissima after he led his team to a comprehensive victory.
The left-footed maestro was at the centre of celebrations as Argentina lifted the glistening trophy. All of his teammates lifted him up in the air during the celebrations and everyone wanted to get their picture taken with Messi holding the trophy.
Overall, winning the match against Italy in front of a packed Wembley with 87,000 fans in attendance would have been a great experience for the player.
The win and Messi's performance sent a clear message to other teams for the upcoming FIFA World Cup later this year.
