"Lets fu****g go!" - Lionel Messi posts passionate message to his fans after qualifying to the FIFA World Cup SFs
Lionel Messi posted a passionate message for his fans after Argentina's hard-fought 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-final win against the Netherlands on 9 December.
Messi assisted the first goal of the match, setting Nahuel Molina through on goal to open the scoring in the 35th minute. The Argentina icon dispatched a spot-kick late in the second half to virtually seal the win for his team.
But two late goals from substitute striker Wout Weghorst sent the game into extra time before penalty shootouts ensued. Messi scored his spot-kick and so did three of his teammates.
Emiliano Martinez's penalty saves from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis proved to be the difference. Lionel Messi's celebrations after the win showed just what it meant to him.
The euphoria stayed with him for hours after the game as he took to Instagram to post a rather candid message. He wrote:
"Impressive how the whole team fought, once again together and knowing how to suffer on the court. We're among the top four in the world, let's f*****g go !!!!!!"
The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) playmaker now has four goals and two assists in the tournament. He will fancy his chances of matching Kylian Mbappe's tally of five goals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup so far.
His PSG teammate, however, will play on 10 December in France's quarter-final tie against England. Argentina already know their semi-final opponents.
They will face Croatia after their surprise win against Brazil in penalty shootouts. Both their knockout games have gone the ultimate distance in Qatar after finishing with scores tied after extra time.
Hence, La Albiceleste will know the value of a two-goal lead against them. Although after Weghorst's brace, Argentine fans will not want the team to take anything for granted.
Lionel Messi jubilant after Argentina's FIFA World Cup win against the Netherlands
Lionel Messi stated after the win against The Netherlands that Argentina being in the competition's semi-final reflected how good they have been throughout the tournament.
#Qatar2022 🎙️ Lionel Messi: "Argentina está entre los cuatro mejores del mundo porque demuestra que sabe jugar cada partido con las mismas ganas y la misma intensidad". https://t.co/qQiTMzzksM
After a 2-1 opening-day loss against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, La Albiceleste hasn't lost a single game. Their quarter-final win against Australia required a similarly gritty and determined performance to protect their 2-1 lead late in the game.
After the game against the Oranje, Lionel Messi said (h/t @Argentina on Twitter):
"Argentina is among the four best in the world because it shows that it knows how to play every game with the same desire and the same intensity."