Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has tipped his hat to Lionel Messi after the former Barcelona superstar won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
Lionel Messi finally put an end to his career-long wait to win the FIFA World Cup on Sunday, December 18. He helped Argentina beat France on penalties in the final to get his hands on the trophy.
The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar grabbed a brace for La Albiceleste on the evening, while Angel Di Maria netted a goal as well. However, a hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe saw the game end 3-3 and go into penalties.
Argentina eventually earned a victory over Les Bleus after Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed their spot-kicks. It brought an end to their 36-year-old long wait to win the FIFA World Cup.
Football fans, pundits, and even athletes across the globe have since heaped praise on Messi as well as Argentina. Kroos has now become the latest personality to congratulate the 35-year-old.
The Real Madrid midfielder explained that he has not seen a player as consistent as Messi. He then pointed out that he rates the Argentinean highly despite his ties to Barcelona and PSG. Kroos said [via @MadridXtra on Twitter]:
“I’ve never seen a player play as consistently as Messi and he played for clubs I don’t like so it proves I mean it.”
How did Lionel Messi fare for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
The likes of Emiliano Martinez and Julian Alvarez stepped up for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, it was undoubtedly Lionel Messi who did most of the heavy lifting for the side in Qatar.
Messi found the back of the net seven times in as many games for La Albiceleste in the tournament. Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick in the final, though, saw him edge past the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in the race for the Golden Boot.
The PSG superstar also provided three assists for his teammates at the FIFA World Cup. His performances for Lionel Scaloni’s side saw him win the Golden Ball award at the end of the competition.
Nothing, though, gave Messi as much joy as lifting the World Cup trophy after leading Argentina to glory. After the match, he explained how he has now fulfilled a childhood dream of his.
Having won the one trophy that evaded him for most of his career, the forward can hang up his boots without regrets. However, he does not appear to have made a decision regarding his international future yet.