Messi: "This Argentina side is close to the best Barça in history"

After Argentina's 2-0 win over Peru in the South American World Cup qualifiers, captain and goalscorer Lionel Messi was ecstatic about their recent performances, going so far as to put the current 'Albiceleste' team on a par with the historic Barcelona side that dazzled the world under Pep Guardiola and of which Messi himself was a member.

Still in the heat of the moment, on the edge of the pitch after scoring both goals in Argentina's victory, 'TyC' asked Messi if the current Argentina is comparable in football terms to that Barça side.

"This team is impressive and continues to grow, game after game," he said. "We are playing better and better. Comparing [the team] to Barcelona... It's the best team in history, that Barça side. It's a lot, isn't it?

"But I think this team is very close because of what we have shown, because we have been champions of South America, of the world. That has a lot of merit.

"We have great players, no matter who plays, you can't tell because we have a very strong style of play, which identifies us a lot, which we like to do, and we hope to continue on this path."

Winning mentality

For the now Inter Miami player, the most important thing about the current Albiceleste team is that after winning the World Cup in Qatar 2022 they have grown mentally.

"As happened to us after the Copa America, this team continues to grow," he added. "On a performance level, I think we grew, that we liberated ourselves, because we had won and after the World Cup, having won it, much more.

"The team is very confident. Wherever they play, they are protagonists, they have the ball, we feel good. We enjoy this way, hopefully we will continue to grow and be protagonists."