- Global crown secured at Qatar 2022
- Albiceleste back in action on home soil
- Wild celebrations continue in Buenos Aires
WHAT HAPPENED? The Albiceleste, who prevailed in an epic final encounter with Les Bleus in Qatar that required a penalty shootout in order to determine a winner, were back on home soil when facing Panama in an international friendly on Thursday. Messi was on target in that contest, taking him to 800 career goals, with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner then joining in with the fun and games afterwards that saw players and supporters poke fun at France and eternal rivals Brazil.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi and Co could be heard singing “a minute of silence for… France, they are dead”, with Brazil also being incorporated into the chant as fans in Buenos Aires got to see their heroes lift the World Cup trophy again on South American soil.
WHAT NEXT? Messi said to those in attendance as Argentina toasted their third World Cup triumph and first since the days of Diego Maradona in 1986: “I always dreamed of this moment, to celebrate with you in my country Argentina, lifting the greatest thing that is the World Cup. Let's keep doing what we are doing and enjoy this, because we have been waiting a long time to win it again. Let's enjoy the third star.”