After winning the Golden Ball at the 2014 World Cup, Lionel Messi was quoted as saying, ‘The best but not the champion’ after Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Germany.
According to former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who presented the award to the Argentine in 2014.
Messi was named Man of the Match in the first four games, but his team was defeated in the final at the Maracana by Mario Gotze’s extra-time winner.
Image: PA
The five-time Ballon d’Or picked up the Player of the Tournament but was absolutely gutted about the defeat, and his words of frustration were heard by Blatter when he collected his individual prize.”Messi was talking to himself,” Blatter told Argentine publication La Nacion, as per Goal.
“He said to himself over and over again: ‘The best but not the champion.'”
Messi has 65 international goals to his name, but excluding the U20 World Cup and Olympics, as well as the recently won San Juan Cup, he has yet to win an international trophy at the senior level.
The Barcelona star has lost four finals, including the 2014 World Cup and the Copa America tournaments in 2007, 2015, and 2016, and his teammate Sergio Aguero is desperate for him to win some silverware this year.
“I’m more anxious to be a champion for Messi than for me,” Aguero told Fox Sports Argentina.
“Hopefully one day it happens. It’s his dream and everyone’s dream. I put myself in his place and I want to try to do my best for him to lift the Copa America.
“It’s been a long time that he comes here and he suffers. I also suffer. We know what he can bring and the rest have to be mentally prepared not to fail.”