Booed and applauded, Messi says the game was secondary – 11/22/2023 – Sport

The fans who went to Maracanã to watch Lionel Lionel Messi’s likely last match as a professional player in Brazil did not see a great performance. The episodes of violence before the ball rolled, with fights in the stands, drew more attention than the star’s moves, who received boos and applause at Maracanã.

“We saw how they were beating people. The police, as happened in the Libertadores final, once again repressing people with sticks, some players had family there. At that moment, we didn’t know what was really happening and we were paying more attention to that than playing the game, which has become secondary,” he said.

Despite this, the 36-year-old celebrated the 1-0 victory over Brazil, something he called “very beautiful”. The Brazilian team had never lost at home in the World Cup qualifiers, which increased the pride of the Argentines, who have won the Copa América and the World Cup. “The truth is that this group continues to achieve historic things.”

Celebrated by the Albiceleste fans, Messi also won applause from part of the public who wore green and yellow. This applause was drowned out by boos, in a scene repeated when he was substituted, with muscle pain, 32 minutes into the second half. At that moment, some of the Brazilians applauded standing up.

Argentina were already leading 1-0, thanks to a header from Otamendi, and the patience of the Brazilian fans was running out. At the very end of the game, shouts of “olé” erupted in protest, while the visiting players exchanged passes. Part of the audience shouted “shameless team”.

After the final whistle, most Argentines remained in the stands, celebrating. Messi and his teammates went towards them, precisely in the sector where the confusion had occurred – which delayed the start of the game by 28 minutes –, and celebrated the triumph that left them at the top of the South American Qualifiers. Brazil is only in sixth.