It seems that the ‘god of soccer’ Lionel Messi (36, Inter Miami) also experienced the same sorrow as Ahn Jung-hwan.
Messi, who led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, won the championship by defeating France in the final of the tournament. Messi, who had virtually completed the final puzzle of his career, received the highest praise and congratulations from around the world.
However, it seems that Messi’s team, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), reacted differently at the time. As PSG is part of France’s Ligue 1, the fans’ disappointment with France’s runner-up finish was reflected in their unwelcome reaction to Messi. 스포츠토토
A similar situation occurred with Ahn Jung-hwan during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. Ahn Jung-hwan, who was playing for Perugia in Italy’s Serie A at the time, celebrated the victory with a ‘ring kiss’ after scoring a golden goal in the second half of extra time in the round of 16 against Italy. It was an even brighter goal because it was Ahn Jung-hwan who missed the penalty kick in the first half
However, Ahn Jung-Hwan had to experience unfair treatment after returning to Serie A. Ahn Jung-hwan was the main character who sank Italy worldwide, but in Italy, he became a traitor who caused his country to be eliminated. In the end, it became an opportunity to break up with Perugia.
Messi also returned to PSG after winning the World Cup, but left for Inter Miami of the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) after the season. Until the World Cup, Messi had left the possibility of extending his contract with PSG.
In an interview with ESPN of the United States on the 22nd (Korean time), Messi said bitterly, “I was the only player among the 25 members of the Argentina national team who was not recognized by his team,” and then added, “I understand because France did not win the championship because of us.” He said.
In the United States, Messi is receiving the best treatment. At every game, Messi is surrounded by fans who are passionate about him. Messi has scored 11 goals and 5 assists in 12 games, including winning the League Cup at Inter Miami, giving him his first title since his founding.