What heartfelt message from Pele did his daughter convey to Lionel Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo?

Brazilian great Pele’s daughter, Kely Nascimento, has revealed that the three-time world champion wholeheartedly wanted Lionel Messi to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in December. Kely also disclosed that she relayed her father’s support to Messi via the Argentine's wife Antonela Roccuzzo.

Arguably the greatest player in football history, Pele passed away aged 82 on December 29, 11 days after Messi and Co. won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The legendary forward, who was battling complications related to colon cancer at the time, watched the Qatar World Cup from his hospital bed, regularly tweeting out support for Brazil.

However, after his beloved Selecao crashed out in the quarterfinals, Pele backed Messi’s Argentina to go the distance. On Instagram, Kely opened up about her meeting with Messi’s wife Antonella Roccuzzo and revealed that she had passed on the story of Pele’s support for Brazil’s bitter rivals Argentina.

The caption of her Instagram post read:

“Story time: This is the very pretty and kind Antonela Roccuzzo, Messi's wife. I didn't have the opportunity to meet Messi, so when I met her in the magical place of every party (the women's restroom), I passed on a message to him through her.

“When Brazil lost to Croatia (in the quarterfinals), my dad was already getting worse. Everyone wanted Brazil to win the World Cup for my dad, no one more than the selecao! But my dad knew better than most what football is like. And it was the possibility of any team being able to win that, he would always say was what he loved about the beautiful game.”

She continued:

“After Brazil's exit, everyone that came into his hospital room (all day, every day until the final!!!) would ask him: 'and now Pele? Now, who do you want to win? Surely not Argentina!!!' And he would say, 'Yes Argentina! The trophy has to come back to South America, and Messi has to win.'"

Kely concluded:

“Everyone would feign (and sometimes not even feign) horror! What?! Argentina?! “And he simply would say, ‘yes, Messi wins’.”

Kely also added that while Pele could not watch Argentina’s win over France in the final, he died happy knowing that Lionel Messi and Co. clinched the trophy.

“He didn't ever get to watch the final on television, but he knew that Argentina had won and that Messi had lifted the trophy, and he was happy,” Kely said.

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Lionel Messi opens up about fulfiling his 'dream' in Qatar while receiving ‘The Best’ FIFA Men's Player Award

Lionel Messi claimed his second ‘The Best’ FIFA Men's Player Award in Paris on February 27, primarily thanks to his stellar displays at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It was the seventh time the Argentine had been crowned the best player by FIFA, with his previous five wins coming before the rebranding in 2016.

The Argentina captain scored seven goals and claimed three assists in seven games in the competition. His brace and successful effort in the shootout turned out to be decisive as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties following a rousing 3-3 stalemate after 120 minutes.

Up on the ‘The Best’ podium for the first time since 2019, Lionel Messi talked about his magical journey in Qatar, thanking his coach Lionel Scaloni and his teammates for their support.

“I want to express my thanks to (coach Lionel) Scaloni and my teammates, without them I would not be here,” Messi said (via Telegraph India).

"I achieved a dream I had been hoping for so long, and finally I achieved it. It’s a dream for any player; very few people can achieve that, and I was lucky enough to do so.”

Lionel Messi came agonizingly close to fulfilling his dream of winning the FIFA World Cup in 2014, with Argentina losing to Germany in the final. It was Mario Gotze's extra-time winner that denied Lionel Messi and Co. in Brazil.