Buenos Aires, June 5 (IANS) Former Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez believes Lionel Messi remains driven by the same hunger and determination that helped him become one of football’s greatest players, saying the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is still motivated by the dream of winning another FIFA World Cup.

Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, is again leading the defending champions at the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will commence on June 11.

“Messi is fuelled by his hunger for glory and his desire to make history again. He keeps going – nothing can stop him. He plays for the pride of representing his country: nothing else crosses his mind, not even breaking records. He wants to be crowned a world champion again. He’s putting everything on the line once more because that hunger is part of who he is,” Rodriguez told FIFA.

“Without that mindset and drive, he wouldn’t have achieved everything that he has. That’s why we’re still able to enjoy another World Cup with him in Argentina’s iconic No. 10 shirt,” he added.

Rodriguez, a former Argentina international who played alongside Messi for more than a decade with the national team, also reflected on sharing a dressing room with both Messi and the late Diego Maradona during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The former winger said it felt surreal to be around two of the greatest players in football history.

“It was amazing. I grew up watching Diego and his generation. He was my idol. Then, suddenly, we had Leo there too – the two greatest footballers the world has ever seen, with us every day. It felt like something out of a film,” Rodriguez said. “Sometimes, after training, we would stay behind taking free-kicks, and Diego would join in. We would watch on in awe as Diego and Leo struck the ball. It was madness,” he added.

Rodriguez, who represented Argentina at the 2006, 2010, and 2014 World Cups, said he considers himself fortunate to have been coached by Maradona and to have shared the pitch with Messi for so many years. “One coached me, and I played with Leo for more than ten years with the national team. Those are the kinds of experiences you never think will happen to you,” he said.

While praising Messi’s remarkable achievements, Rodriguez highlighted the Argentina captain’s character as his most admirable quality. “What Leo has done is beyond words, but what really sets him apart is his humility,” Rodriguez added.

Argentina is placed in Group J in the World Cup with lower-ranked teams like Jordan and Algeria, along with Austria, which can ease their route to the next round.

–IANS

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