"That goal was like saying: ‘We’re still alive" - Argentina assistant details reason for emotional reaction to Lionel Messi's goal at 2022 WC

It’s been over two years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to win their third World Cup trophy in Qatar. However, the memory of La Albiceleste’s triumph still feels fresh to so many football lovers. Argentina defeated France 4-2 in the penalty shootout to claim the coveted trophy after a pulsating 3-3 draw after 120 minutes.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina got off to a bad start in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as they fell to a surprising 2-1 defeat against minnows Saudi Arabia in their opening game. The defeat left La Albiceleste in dire need of a victory in their following match to keep any chance of progressing to the knockout stages. They played against North American side Mexico in the second game of the group stages.

The scoreline remained goalless after the hour mark, and it looked as though Argentina were destined for another frustrating game. Lionel Messi, however, produced a moment of magic in the 64th minute, firing the ball low into the corner of the net past Guillermo Ochoa’s outstretched arm from 20 yards to give his side the lead.

Enzo Fernandez sealed Argentina’s victory three minutes from time, curling home a brilliant shot. Lionel Scaloni’s men beat Poland 2-0 in their last group game to progress to the last 16 as group toppers.

One of Argentina's national team managers, Pablo Aimar, recently reflected on how Lionel Messi’s opener against Mexico made him feel while also revealing how the tension of the game reminded him of Argentina’s uncharacteristic exit in the group stages of the 2002 World Cup.

Aimar, along with other two Argentina national team assistant managers, Roberto Ayala and Walter Samuel, were part of the La Albiceleste squad that went to the 2002 Mundial hosted by Korea and Japan. Aimar said (via All About Argentina);

"I got emotional, I got emotional in that moment. In that coaching staff, it’s Ayala, Samuel, and me. The three of us went to the 2002 World Cup, and we were eliminated in the group stage. Maybe people don’t even remember who was part of that World Cup.

''For us, it’s a burden, a weight, a sadness. I still can’t even look at images from that time. It’s been 22 years… That week, the feeling was: ‘It’s going to happen to us again. It’s going to happen to all three of us again.’ So that goal was like saying: ‘We’re still alive, it’s not going to happen again.’’

What Lionel Messi said after Argentina defeated Mexico 2-0 in the group stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

In the aftermath of Argentina’s crucial win against Mexico in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi claimed that they found it difficult to get going in the match because the Mexicans played well.

Messi told Argentine TV (via ESPN);

"It was a complicated game to lift ourselves up for, because Mexico played really well. In the first half, we played with intensity, and in the second half, we calmed down a bit and we came back to ourselves.

"We knew that today we had to win, that another World Cup started for us and we knew what to do. We cannot let our guard down now. We have all finals left to play; we cannot err. We knew that the response from our fans would be like this and I think we complied. We have been all hand in hand together for a long time."

Lionel Messi is Argentina's most-capped player (191 caps) and the country’s all-time top scorer (112 goals).