Messi: "I want to enjoy things much more, I am much calmer than before"

The captain of the Argentine national team talked about how he feels ahead of Sunday's crucial match, analyzed the Colombian team, and addressed Ángel Di María's retirement.

On Sunday against Colombia in the Copa América final, it will be the fourth consecutive final for the Argentine national team in the last three years. The players seem accustomed to competing for another star, although nerves continue to run through their bodies and increase as the clock ticks. The only one who is calm, and especially filled with excitement, is Lionel Messi.

The captain and leader spoke out three days before the crucial clash in Miami, now his home, revealing that after the Qatar World Cup, he was finally able to shed the heavy burden he had carried for years: "I am calm, waiting for the day as always. I am much calmer than before after everything we've lived through and experienced."

At 37 years old (having celebrated his birthday in the Albiceleste concentration), Messi has started to view football through a different lens. He remains the competitive force he has always been, sensing defenders' fear and sharpening his edge, though he no longer feels the pressure of past finals like he used to. "I am trying to enjoy things much more and live each moment to the fullest, not rushing things, simply living in the moment. When the time comes, we will focus on what the match will be," he confessed to Fox Sports.

Leo also shared insights into the team's camaraderie, noting they always arrive well-rested for such encounters: "In the last finals, I slept well, had no issues. We stayed up late chatting, drinking mate, playing cards. We went to bed late but slept well."

Like at the Maracanã and in Qatar, Scaloni's team is filled with great excitement. They arrive as the current champions of America and the world. However, Néstor Lorenzo's Tricolor also enjoys a great moment, and Messi is aware of this. In addition to praising them, he highlighted the virtues of their next opponent: "We watched the Uruguay-Colombia match. We knew either team would be tough. Colombia hasn't lost in a long time for a reason; they have good players, very intense, with quick, dynamic players."

And he made it clear that there are no favorites to win the Copa América: "It's a final. A final is always a separate match. We are prepared, like throughout this entire Copa."

Regarding Ángel Di María's retirement from the Argentine national team, Messi expressed that regardless of Sunday's result, number 10 will feel a void in his chest after the final whistle. Di María has decided to retire from the national team, a decision Messi and his teammates respect, though they would prefer him to continue: "Di María has made it clear. Although the topic always comes up, he has made his decision and accepted it completely. There's not much more to discuss."

And he concluded, speaking about his partner and friend since their youth filled with dreams: "We try to enjoy the small moments much more than we used to, which we didn't give much importance to before. Today, we value everything much more, which is why he is more sensitive than ever and gets emotional about everything he is experiencing. We try to support him in these final moments with the national team."