In an interview with Ole newspaper, Argentine international Lo Celso fondly recalled a touching moment in the Copa America final - why he ran to the bench and hugged Messi immediately after Lautaro's goal. This move not only shows the deep friendship of teammates in the Argentine team, but also proves once again the irreplaceable position of Messi in the team.
Lo Celso first spoke about Messi's departure from the field due to injury, saying bluntly, "Messi's injury has shrouded our entire team in a complex of emotions. As our captain and symbol, he always wanted to be on the field with us until the end, but the ankle injury mercilessly stopped him. As his teammates and friends, we witnessed his pain first hand and were filled with sadness and dismay."
Immediately afterward, Lo Celso described his first reaction after Lautaro's goal: "When Lautaro put the ball in the goal, the joy of that moment almost overflowed my heart. But the first thing that came to my mind was Lionel Messi, who was sitting alone on the bench, unable to share the joy of victory with us. I know that watching the game from the bench was even more agonizing for him than being on the field, because he was more eager to contribute to the team than any of us."
Therefore, Lo Celso did not hesitate to run to the bench and hug Messi tightly: "I ran over and hugged him, not just to celebrate the goal, but to convey all my emotions to him. This hug is an expression of my endless support and respect for him. I hope he can feel that even if he is not on the field, we are still a united whole and we will still fight for him and for the glory of Argentine soccer."
Finally, Lo Celso also expressed his gratitude to Messi: "Seeing him cry and suffer like that filled my heart with heartache. But I know that he is stronger than any of us. This hug is also my way of encouraging him, telling him that we will get through this together and welcome more victories."
