Getty Lionel Messi celebrates at the Copa America
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has sent a motivational message to his Argentina teammates ahead of La Albiceleste’s second match of Group A at the Copa America in Brazil.
Messi took to Instagram to urge his players on before the team’s meeting with Luis Suarez’s Uruguay on Friday. He wrote, “We are ready to compete and we will continue to fight to win every game. Let’s go Argentina!!!”
The captain was on target with a superb free-kick in Argentina’s opening game of the tournament which ended in a 1-1 draw with Chile. Friday’s match will be Uruguay’s first of the group stages.
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Suarez Warns Messi Ahead Of Copa Clash
Suarez heads into the Copa America after a superb season after leaving Barcelona for Atletico Madrid. The striker helped fire the Rojiblancos to the league title, scoring 21 goals in 32 La Liga matches.
The title was Suarez’s fifth La Liga crown and he will now be eyeing more silverware in Brazil. The striker did lift the Copa America in 2011 and is hoping for one more in what might be his final appearance at the competition.
“It’s clear that as time goes by it gets closer. I can say, in my case, this is my last Copa América,” he told reporters, “I can’t take away a spot away from others that deserve it.”
Suarez also had a warning for his good friend Messi and said the two players will put their friendship aside when they take to the pitch, as reported by beIN Sports.
“With Leo I have a friendship,” said the 34-year-old. “But, obviously, on the pitch there is no friendship. It’s the same as when I had to face him playing against Barcelona and against Argentina.”
Messi Wants ‘Beautiful’ Copa America Win
Messi has never won the Copa America, unlike Suarez, and made it clear before the competition kicked off just how important it is to him to win a title with the national team.
The captain told reporters that success with the Albiceleste remains his “big dream” and revealed just how much pleasure he would take from lifting the trophy in Brazil, as reported by Sport.
“I think this is the time to strike a blow and the chance could come in this Copa America. My big dream is to win a title with the national team,” he said. “I was very close on many occasions and unfortunately it didn’t work out. I will keep going until I can’t any more. I’ve been lucky enough to win everything at a club level and on an individual level and it would be beautiful to win with the national team as well.”
The match between the two sides promising to be an intriguing affair with Messi and Suarez likely to be in the spotlight once more. Both players were on target the last time the two sides met in a 2-2 friendly draw in 2019.
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