Coach Luis Enrique: 'Messi deserves to win the World Cup'

*Argentina - Croatia: 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 14, on MetaSports.

"When Spain can't progress, I want Argentina to win the World Cup because Lionel Messi deserves it," coach Enrique said in an interview on December 12.

The 52-year-old military leader once said this before the World Cup kicked off in Qatar. Enrique's Spain lost the 1/8 round at the hands of Morocco, and Argentina will meet Croatia in the semi-finals taking place at 2pm on December 14.

"Given what Messi has contributed to the world of football, it wouldn't be fair if he hung up his boots without winning the World Cup," added coach Enrique. According to the former Barca midfielder, Messi is still fit and passionate to fight for Argentina for the rest of this year's World Cup.

Coach Enrique used to coach Messi at Barca from 2014-2017. Together they won two La Liga titles, three King's Cups, a Champions League and a FIFA Club World Cup. Coach Enrique then led Spain but did not win any titles. He was sacked by the Spanish Football Federation on December 7 after a defeat in the 2022 World Cup.

Messi is playing the fifth and most likely World Cup of his career. He is still Argentina's conductor at this year's tournament, scoring four goals and two assists. Messi has won the Man of the Match award three times after Argentina's past five games. The 35-year-old star is also the first person to win this award nine times in World Cup history.

The goal against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals also helped Messi equal the record of 10 goals for Argentina in the World Cup of legend Gabriel Batistuta. Messi and his teammates reached the final of the 2014 World Cup, but lost 0-1 to Germany in extra time.