As night falls, Argentina's battle for glory is about to unfold tonight (22nd) as they take on Saudi Arabia in a Group D thriller. Rumors of an injury were swirling after a reporter caught Messi with an unusually swollen right ankle during pre-match training. However, at a press conference, Messi was adamant that he was "in great shape" and confident about tonight's match.
Previously, Messi had to train alone due to Achilles tendonitis and did not return to Argentina's collective training until Monday (21st). However, a reporter photographed his right ankle still swollen, suspected to be a new injury. But Messi said confidently at the press conference, "My physical condition is ideal, and I don't have any problems physically or mentally. The training on the sidelines is just for safety reasons. This is my last World Cup and my last chance to fulfill my dream. The World Cup is different from other competitions in that you never know if you'll have a chance to play next time, so I tell the young players to enjoy themselves."
This World Cup will most likely be the last World Cup for 7-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi. Whether he can lead Argentina to fulfill its dream of winning the championship has become the focus of attention. After the press conference before the match, journalists applauded Messi, and some even cheered him on, shouting, "Go for it!"
Messi is looking forward to this World Cup, writing on Instagram, "I've always been proud to represent the national team, and tomorrow we'll go out with a strong desire to play in another World Cup, where we'll fight side by side! Go Argentina."
