Lionel Messi has hinted late Maradona’s influence on the team’s progress at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking after their victory over Netherlands on Friday’s night, the seven time Baloon D’or winner said “Now we have a weight off our shoulders, and we have been saying this from the beginning: Diego is pushing us from heaven.”
The Albicelestes survived a huge scare from the Dutch as they were made to wait till the shootout before confirming their success story.
“We leave that on the pitch with our people,” Messi said. “We enjoyed that moment both here and in Argentina.People are full of enthusiasm, we are among the four semi-finalists” he said.
Though felt the game shouldn’t have been stretched, he noted that the second goal from the Dutch which was scored from the free kick ought not to have been.
“There was a lot of disappointment when they drew level, which was very unfair,” Messi said. “It came from a set-piece which I didn’t think was a foul.
“I don’t want to speak about referees, you can be punished and you can’t be honest. He wasn’t up to the standard and he was hard on us.
Argentina will face Croatia in the semi final on Tuesday as they set sights on winning the mundial for the third time.