Lionel Messi has responded to Kylian Mbappé’s assertion that the European Championship is a more challenging tournament than the World Cup. Messi, a star for Argentina, pointed out that the European tournament excludes several notable World Cup-winning nations.
“Everyone prioritizes their own tournament,” Messi told ESPN Argentina ahead of his country’s participation in the upcoming Copa América. “The Euros is very important and features some of the best teams, but he’s forgetting about three-time champion Argentina, five-time champion Brazil, and two-time champion Uruguay. There are quite a few World Cup champions missing from that tournament.”
The pair faced off in 2022’s Censored Final, with Messi’s Argentina claiming victory.
Messi emphasized the significance of the World Cup, stating, “The best teams compete in the World Cup, which generally includes all the world champions. There’s a reason everyone wants to win it.”
Messi’s Argentina are the reigning Copa América champions, while France, Mbappé’s team, are seeking their first trophy since their World Cup victory in 2018. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mbappé won the Golden Boot, but his team ultimately fell short against Messi’s Argentina in the final.
Prior to the upcoming Euros, Mbappé expressed his belief that the European Championship is the most challenging international competition. “The Euros are complicated. For me, even more complicated than a World Cup,” he stated during a press conference. “There’s more pressure at the World Cup, but all the teams know each other well, and we play against each other frequently. Tactically, the soccer played is very similar.”
Messi rejoined the Argentina squad on Sunday for a friendly match against Ecuador.
Mbappé has also expressed a preference for European soccer in the past, stating before the 2022 World Cup that nations like Argentina and Brazil do not face the same level of competition. “European teams have an advantage because we always play against each other in high-level matches like the Nations League,” he said. “By the time we get to the World Cup, we’re ready. South American teams like Brazil and Argentina don’t have that level of competition, and their soccer is not as advanced as Europe’s. That’s why recent World Champions have all been European.”
France will kick off their Euros campaign against Austria on June 17, while Argentina will face Canada on June 20.