Since the Argentina national team roster got together before the Qatar 2022 World Cup, we’ve seen an open, media-friendly side to Lionel Messi that we’d rarely seen before, with the Paris Saint-Germain superstar taking part in a number of interviews, as well as more casual chats with friends, which have been broadcast across different media platforms. And after finally leading his nation to their long-awaited third World Cup triumph, the Albiceleste captain has continued the trend.

On Thursday, Messi was the star guest as he spoke on Twitch to Argentine sports newspaper Olé. The ex-Barcelona playmaker is focused on winning a second successive French league title with PSG but also on helping his club achieve what has long been one of their main targets: winning the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

Argentina’s World Cup win

“I took one look at it and I knew I had to go for it. It was an automatic reaction. I wanted that moment to happen so badly. I’d been so close other times with the national team, like in 2014. Behind the victory there were lots of sacrifices and defeats, which I had to overcome.

What does the World Cup victory mean to Messi’s family?

“They went through the same as what I did, maybe even more. I have relatives who live in Argentina and hear the stories in the press every day. They suffer the same or more than me. They try to show me that it’s not like that, but in the end it was a relief”.

The penalty shootout against France

“I prayed to God that I’d score. I spoke to (Leandro) Paredes and I begged him to score so we’d have another chance. I told him, “please score so that this is over”. Then ‘Dibu’ (Emiliano Martínez) did what he did and it was incredible”.

That World Cup photo in bed

“With the time difference I slept just one or two hours. It was six o’clock in the morning and I turned on the TV. I’m sure they could hear me through the walls. I had the trophy in bed and suddenly Rodrigo (De Paul) appeared and took the photo. He’s such an important person within the group, both in a footballing sense and in terms of his personality.