'I Don't Like What I Did': Lionel Messi Regrets His Behaviour After FIFA World Cup 2023 Quarterfinal Against Netherlands

Lionel Messi had shouted at Wout Weghorst after Argentina's quarter-final victory which was even caught on camera.

Messi said that ideally he would have wanted Diego Maradona to hand him the World Cup Trophy. ( Image Source :Getty Images )

Lionel Messi finally got to lift the one major trophy missing from his cabinet when he led Argentina to a FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar in December last year. The image of him with the World Cup trophy shattered all records on social media. While there were overwhelming responses to the Argentine footballer cementing his legacy among the Greats of The Game with now even a World Cup title to his credit, there is one incident which Messi is not too proud of. 

In a recent interview, the Paris Saint-Germain forward admitted that he does not like the way he behaved after the Argentina's win over Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinal fixture. Notably, Messi was seen directing an angry rant at striker Wout Weghorst. He was not at his best behaviour with Dutch boss Louis van Gaal either. However, he has now said that those were instances of him losing his cool at the heat of the moment more than anything else.

It came out in the moment: Messi

While talking about in an interview with radio show Perros de la calle, the 35-year-old said:  "I didn't think about it, it came out in the moment."

"I did know everything that had been said before the game, what he [Van Gaal] had said. Even some of my teammates were telling me 'Did you see what he said,' on purpose," he added.

"And well, when it's all over, I don't like what I did, I don't like the 'keep moving' and all that. But well, they are moments of huge tension, huge nervousness and everything happens very fast," he further said.

"One reacts the way one reacts, but nothing was planned. It just happened. I don't like to leave that image, but these are things that happen," the 7-time Ballon d'Or Winner stated.

Messi said that ideally he would have wanted the late footballer Diego Maradona to hand him the World Cup Trophy.

"I think that both he and many people who love me were pushing from above, not only for this but for everything in general," he said.