Lionel Messi: Were very angry after Saudi defeat, this win is a huge relief

Lionel Messi. Pic/AFP

Argentina captain Lionel Messi spoke for the first time about the emotions he felt after his team's shock 1-2 defeat to World No.51 Saudi Arabia at the World Cup recently.

"We were very angry all these days after that result. We did not expect to start the World Cup with a defeat. The days became very long. We wanted to change the situation," Messi said after equalising Argentine legend Diego Maradona's record of eight World Cup goals, following his strike in their 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday.

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Messi admitted that he and his teammates were worried ahead of the clash with their South American rivals. "We knew this game was crucial. If we did not win, we would have been out. We wanted to change the situation. And we knew that if we won today, our fate would be back in our hands and luckily we made it.

This win is a relief for the whole team. It's a joy because now we are depending on ourselves once again and that gives us peace," he added.

Speaking of the match, Messi said they expected a tough battle and it was. "During half-time, we felt we needed to tone it down and play with more calm. We knew we were forcing the plays too much and could not move from side-to-side and in the center. But this was a match supposed to be played this way, to be won at all costs for everybody's peace of mind and to start afresh," he concluded.

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