Lionel Messi: "It bothers me when people off the pitch don't respect the opponent. I've never been like that."

Inter Miami United States star Argentine forward and 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi has spoken about Topo Gigio's gesture to Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal in the quarter-finals of the mundial:

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"It bothers me when people talk like that off the pitch and don't respect their opponent. I have never been like that.

A million things can happen on the pitch and it stays on it. But to speak disrespectfully before the game, wanting to inflame the situation - I've never done that and I don't like to be treated like that. I think van Gaal did it a little bit on purpose, the goalkeeper spoke out as well. These are things I don't like.

The idea to do the Topo Gigio gesture came to me at the time and I automatically regretted it. Thought 'what an idiot, what am I doing, they can still equalise'. These things usually happen," Messi said.

Messi converted an 11-metre penalty in the 73rd minute in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup between Argentina and the Netherlands, making the score 2-0. Leo then made a gesture named after the children's show character Topo Gigio, putting his open palms to his ears and doing so in front of van Gaal.

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