This is from an interview on Fifa.com with Lionel Messi:
"After Argentina qualified for Russia 2018, coach Jorge Sampaoli said that football owes Messi a World Cup. Did you hear that and what do you make of it?
"Yes, I did hear it, and he said it to me too. I hope football does end up paying me! (laughs)"
Earlier in the interview Messi said not qualifying for Russia "would have been a huge blow, firstly for the squad as a whole and then for me on a personal level. I don’t know how I would have taken it."
Now, whoa, hold on here. This is the same Lionel Messi who retired from international football in July, 2016 after yet another major tournament where he had done very little to live up to his hype of Diego Maradona take 2. Argentina had just lost the Copa America final to Chile and were struggling in World Cup qualifying. Messi returned in August of the same year saying that he "but I prefer to do this [help Argentinian football] from inside and not criticise from outside."
So now Messi, you are owed a World Cup? Earn it, my friend. Earn it. Just like Diego did. At the last Word Cup you were named player of the tournament because of your name, not your performances.
I hope Messi is fantastic in Russia. I think we, the fans, are owed a glimpse of the Barcelona Messi for Argentina.
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