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Manchester United legend Patrice Evra defends Messi's World Cup performance amid criticism.
A video has surfaced online showing Manchester United legend Patrice Evra defending Lionel Messi's World Cup performance.
The clip surfaced after Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal made the shocking claim that the tournament was rigged for the Argentine to win.
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What Van Gaal said
Argentina were awarded five penalties at Qatar 2022, the most won by any team since 1966. Hence, the former Barcelona argued that the Albiceleste's journey to winning the World Cup was predetermined.
As Pulse Sports reported, Van Gaal said the following about Argentina’s World Cup win:
"I don't really want to say much about it. When you see how Argentina gets the goals and how we get the goals, and how some Argentina players overstepped the mark and were not punished, then I think it's all a premeditated game."
After journalists probed even further, the 72-year-old said, "I mean everything I say. That Messi should become the world champion? I think so, yes."
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What Evra said
Messi played all five of Argentina's penalties at the World Cup, scoring four of them. The Inter Miami captain went on to win the title of best player at the tournament, and the volume of penalties he scored led many to doubt the strength of his performance and the validity of the trophy he won.
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In a live video that featured Rio Ferdinand, Evra disagreed with this notion, arguing that overcoming pressure and converting penalties at a stage as grand as the World Cup is no mean feat.
“Messi carried Argentina. People say like ohhh Messi didn’t win world cup because he scored 5 penalties, I say you go and score those penalties,” he said in the clip.
“I don’t understand what people argue with that, you have all that pressure and the whole county is watching you. Like if you miss that people will never forgive you.”
Evra's stance came as a shock to many, as the former Juventus player has leaned towards the Cristiano Ronaldo side of the 'GOAT' debate and has a personal relationship with the Portuguese star.
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