- Patrice Evra, the former French national team player, has stated that FIFA "bestowed" the 2022 World Cup upon Lionel Messi.
- The ex-Manchester United player observed as Messi's Argentina defeated France in the concluding match held in Qatar.
- France was on track for consecutive World Cup titles due to Kylian Mbappe's exceptional performance, but ultimately came up short.
Ex-Manchester United player Patrice Evra has criticized FIFA for awarding the 2022 World Cup to Lionel Messi's home country of Argentina.
In a spectacular finale, South America's team emerged victorious over Evra's France, claiming their third World Cup title.
What were Evra's comments regarding Messi winning the World Cup?
Evra's France produced a remarkable comeback in the World Cup final against Argentina but lost in a penalty shootout.
Messi was named the best player at the tournament, marginally outplaying Kylian Mbappe who scored a hat-trick in the final at the Lusail Stadium in Doha.
Recently, Evra criticized FIFA, the global soccer authority, for seemingly awarding the 2022 World Cup to Lionel Messi during an interview where he also defended French coach Didier Deschamps.
"Okay, we haven't won since 2018, but we all know that in 2022 they gave the World Cup to Messi..." he said per RMC Sport.
All had been predetermined. Even the French desired for Messi to triumph... That penalty at the start of the France-Argentina championship match...
Zinedine Zidane has been closely associated with the position, but Evra dismissed those connections.
We have a World Cup preparation ahead of us. I doubt it will disturb the team; the focus should remain on the current situation, yet we shouldn’t mention Zidane in each conversation… Though we do keep discussing Didier Deschamps. Isn’t this somewhat excessive? Have folks grown tired of reaching semifinals or finals consistently in all tournaments? It makes me empathize with whoever takes over next. Do you prefer winning or performing admirably?
France boasts one of the strongest teams globally and is expected to be among the top contenders for the 2026 World Cup title.
How Lionel Messi secured victory at the World Cup
In 2014, Messi made it to the World Cup final but came up short when Germany secured a 1-0 victory during extra time in Brazil. During the 2018 tournament, they struggled just to qualify and subsequently put forth an uninspired showing.
Lionel Scaloni revamped the squad, yet in Qatar, they suffered an unexpected 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia in their opening game.
Following that stunning defeat, they went undefeated for the rest of the tournament. In the Round of 16 knockouts against Australia, as well as in the quarter-finals versus the Netherlands and the semis with Croatia, Messi was instrumental throughout these matches.
During the finale, he netted two goals and motivated his squad to achieve World Cup triumph following a penalty shoot-out.
Messi was awarded the title of top player at the event, whereas Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot honor, according to BBC Sport. The total number of FIFA World Cup titles achieved by only three nations—Brazil, Germany, and Italy—stands above that of Argentina’s victories.
Messi weighs in on the G.O.A.T. discussion
INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL.co.ke Previously mentioned comments from Messi about the GOAT debate gained attention again following Cristiano Ronaldo's assertion that he is the "most comprehensive player."
The Inter Miami player stated that becoming the absolute top isn't his main focus as long as he remains one of the leading athletes.
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