Lionel Messi expressed his frustration with the condition of the pitch following Argentina’s 1-1 draw with Venezuela in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier.
The weather in Maturín, Venezuela, had drenched the field with heavy rain before kickoff, causing a delay and ultimately impacting the quality of play.
Despite the conditions, Nicolás Otamendi managed to put Argentina ahead in the first half.
However, Venezuela’s Salomón Rondón equalised five minutes after the hour mark, leaving both teams to settle for a share of the points, ESPN reports.
World No. 40-ranked Venezuela hold No. 1-ranked Argentina to a 1-1 draw 😳 pic.twitter.com/bN9XFVZbRN
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 10, 2024
Argentina, led by Messi, struggled to adapt to the waterlogged pitch, which hampered their usual fluid passing game and made it difficult to create clear-cut opportunities....Read Full Article [Click Here>]
Reflecting on the draw, Messi was candid in attributing the result to the poor state of the field, suggesting it altered their game plan and made execution challenging.
“The field didn’t help us execute what we wanted to do,”
“We hadn’t prepared for the match in this way, but we were ready to compete for the second ball and look for a mistake from the opponent,” Messi explained, as quoted by Sportskeeda.
While disappointed with the result, the Inter Miami forward expressed his happiness about rejoining the national team after an injury-induced break since their Copa América triumph.
However, he was blunt about the overall quality of the game, describing it as anything but enjoyable.
“I’m happy that I can continue playing and be here again. Honestly, it was very difficult to play this way; the match was very ugly and full of complications,” Messi added.
Messi and his teammates will look to bounce back when they face Bolivia in their next qualifier on October 16, aiming to secure a much-needed win and regain momentum in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
