Former Barcelona player Lionel Messi said that winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup was a divine appointment for him.
- I said this many years ago: I was sure I would become a world champion. That was even before the defeat in the 2014 World Cup final.
And it happened. I knew that God wanted me to become a world champion, that He would give me that. I always believed in it. There were a lot of big stones on the road, it was really hard for me, but in the end it happened.
Throughout the World Cup, Diego Maradona was always by our side. That's what happens when you play for the Argentine national team. Many of our fans' songs mention Diego. We saw Argentines everywhere and felt at home," said Lionel Messi.