Mbappe had previously downplayed the difficulty of winning South American tournaments like Copa America, stating that European football is more advanced. However, current Argentina captain Lionel Messi has disagreed with that assessment.
In a recent interview, Messi addressed comments made earlier by his former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe of France. Mbappe had called the Euros a more complicated competition to win than the World Cup. He also took a dig at South American teams, implying their level of play is below that of Europe.
In response, Messi highlighted that some of the most successful international sides historically are left out of the Euros. “The Euros leaves out Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay – all multiple World Cup winners. So it’s not right to say it’s easier just because the best teams from every confederation don’t participate,” Messi said.
The Argentina captain pointed out that the World Cupfeatures virtually every top national team. Due to this, lifting the biggest prize in international football is an incredible achievement. Messi knows this better than most, having led Argentina to a thrilling World Cup triumph last year in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Messi and Argentina will be looking to defend their Copa America title on home soil this summer. The tournament is being hosted across various American cities. Messi will hope to add to his impressive collection of honors at the continental competition.
As for Mbappe, he is focused on trying to win Euro 2024 with France. The tournament kicks off next week across Germany. Mbappe will be aiming to write his name in the history books by guiding Les Bleus to a second European Championship triumph.
