Hugo Gatti, Argentine football legend, made some remarkable statements about Lionel Messi on his journey to conquer the 2022 World Cup with La Albiceleste.

In a recent interview with Bolavip , Hugo Gatti, the Argentine football legend, made some surprising comments regarding his junior Lionel Messi.

Accordingly, besides not appreciating Messi as much as his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, Hugo Gatti also believes that the 2022 World Cup title of the Argentina national team is largely due to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Specifically, the 80-year-old legend shared: “I do not criticize Messi, I always affirm that he is a good player. I have said it and will continue to say it. In recent years, he has played very well, and the competition with Cristiano Ronaldo is also extremely attractive. But he is not the best.

It’s not true to say that Messi is the most important player at the World Cup. In fact, Argentina won thanks to Dibu Martinez, without him they wouldn’t have won the cup. That’s the truth. People often want to hear what they believe, but I only say what I see and feel. That’s the difference, and also the reason why I’m often argued with, even called crazy!

At the 2022 World Cup, Messi played in all seven matches, scored seven goals, including a brace in the final, and also had three assists. The above contributions helped the Argentina team overcome countless obstacles and reach the top of the world after 36 years of waiting.

However, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also had a tournament of his life on a personal level. In his first breath of air at the biggest football festival on the planet, the star born in 1992 shone brightly with incredible diving moves, especially the “lightning-fast” save against Kolo Muani’s shot in extra time of the final match.

Not stopping there, the former Arsenal star is also mentioned for his excellent penalty-saving ability in the penalty shootout, when he refused two kicks in the quarter-final match against the Netherlands, then continued to refuse an opportunity in the final match, thereby lifting the gold cup and the Golden Glove award for the first time.

Currently, both Messi and Martinez are still the pillars of the Argentina national team in every campaign, and this duo promises to continue to fight side by side with their teammates to defend the World Cup championship in the summer of 2026.