Messi reached his 100th cap for Argentina against Jamaica. Yet he seems desperate to win silverware for his country at the Copa America.
In speaking with La Nacion, Messi expressed his desire to win, in saying, “I would give it all up to win the Copa America. This group deserves it for the way they fight. We had a great World Cup and we deserve it. It’s what I picture. Winning the Copa America would us some give peace of mind for the [coming World Cup] qualifiers. Not only for my team-mates, for the coach and for me. For the country. The fans also want us to succeed.”
Playing with Barca has won a number of accolades such as the UEFA Champions League four times, the Copa Del Rey three times and La Liga seven times. Yet success with Argentina continues to elude him.
This has happened twice before: losing to Brazil at the 2007 Copa America as well as losing to Germany in last year’s World Cup final.
Given that they are already in the quarterfinals, it’s clear that Messi will do whatever it takes to win glory for his country. He also says that over these 100 games for Argentina, he has had enjoyable and unforgettable experiences.
He also said that through this time, he has grown as player even if a title has been hard to come by. It sure looks like he wishes to end the 2015 Copa America with one. The fixture between Argentina vs. Colombia will tell all.