Getty Lionel Messi and Arturo Vidal embrace
Arturo Vidal had an emotional message for former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi after the two faced each other at the Copa America on Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Messi opened the scoring in the opening game of the competition for both teams with a sensational free-kick, but Eduardo Vargas equalized after Vidal had seen a penalty saved.
The two players caught up at the final whistle with Vidal subsequently sending a message to the Barcelona captain on social media.
The Chile midfielder shared a video of the two players chatting and embracing and also wrote, “Soccer gave me everything. I had many experiences, I won titles, I visited many countries, I played for the best clubs in the world. Soccer also gave me a good future for my family. But the cutest thing it gave me are friends! How nice to see you always alien!”
El fútbol me dió todo. Viví muchas experiencias, gané títulos, conocí muchos países, jugué en los mejores clubes del mundo. También el fútbol me dió un buen futuro para mi familia. Pero lo más lindo que me dió son los amigos! Que lindo verte siempre extraterrestre!👽❤️🇦🇷🇨🇱❤️⚽️
Vidal spent two years with Messi at Barcelona before leaving for Inter in 2020. The 34-year-old was part of the Nerazzurri squad that ended an 11-year wait to be crowned Serie A champions last season.
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Vidal on the Move Again?
Vidal has enjoyed a superb career, winning titles across Europe with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Inter. Yet the midfielder could be on the move again soon and has admitted he’s keen to play in Mexico, as reported by Marca.
“I’ve always said I like Mexico, that I like Club America, and I hope it happens one day, but there has to be interest from both sides,” he said. “Right now I have a contract with Inter and I’ll continue my career. If the opportunity comes up at some point, I’ll be happy.”
Vidal still has a year remaning on his contract at the San Siro, and it’s not clear if he will remain with the Serie A side or look for a fresh challenge. The midfielder made 23 league appearances for Inter in 2020-21.
Messi Set To Face Suarez
Messi looked to have enjoyed his reunion with Vidal, apart from the scoreline, and will face another former Barcelona teammate in Argentina’s next Copa America fixture. La Albiceleste face Luis Suarez’s Uruguay on Friday in Brasilia.
The Barcelona spoke about the fixture after the draw with Chile and knows his side are in for another tough encounter, as reported by Adriana Garcia at ESPN.
“We wanted to start with a win. It was important to start with a win against a difficult rival,” he said. “Now we have Uruguay, another complicated game. That is why we needed to have started with a victory.”
Suarez heads into the tournament after helping Atletico Madrid pip Barcelona to the league title in Spain. The striker scored 21 times in La Liga to fire the Rojiblancos to top spot, while Messi ended the campaign once again as the league’s topscorer.
The Barcelona captain scored 30 goals in 35 matches to finish seven goals ahead of the chasing pack for the fifth season in a row. Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno were the forward’s nearest rivals on 23 goals.
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Arturo Vidal Sends ‘Alien’ Lionel Messi Emotional Message [WATCH]