Messi: I Felt Angry After Missing the Penalty, the Important Thing Was Qualifying

The Argentine star Lionel Messi expressed his happiness after the 2-0 victory over the Austrian team in the second round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, in the match held at the AT&T Stadium.

Messi said in his speech: "I am very happy with the victory above all. It was extremely important, difficult, and rewarding, and it gives us comfort for what is to come."

He added, "In this world championship, all the matches are very evenly matched and extremely exciting. I am enjoying this moment and eager to celebrate it with my teammates."

He continued, "I am happy with the win; it was a very tough match. We knew it would be highly competitive. It was very important for us to secure six points."

He continued: "Winning was an essential part of the plan, but we knew it wouldn't be easy. Today, no one takes it lightly; everything is played with great enthusiasm. We faced difficulty in maintaining the long possessions we were accustomed to."

He stated, "The important thing is to qualify, and it's always in our plans to win all the matches. This entire group experiences this with great joy. When we come together, we enjoy being together, competing, training, daily life, and watching people like this."

He concluded: "We have delighted the fans enough, but we will try to give them more. There were moments when I felt very angry for missing the penalty, but I managed to make up for it."