Lionel Messi’s wife pens a heartfelt note after Argentina’s triumph

Thank you for teaching us to never give up, says Antonella Roccuzzo.

Lionel Messi’s wife Antonella Roccuzzo penned down a heartfelt note after Argentina’s World Cup win over France and thanked her husband for teaching the value of “never giving up.”

Messi's wife Antonella Roccuzzo posted a photo on her Instagram with the caption: “CHAMPIONS! I don't even know how to start.. pride greater that we feel for you @leomessi thank you for teaching us to never give up, you have to fight to the end.”

“We know what you suffered so many years, what you wanted to get!!! Let's go Argentina.”

Messi achieved what Maradona did in 1986 and dominated a World Cup for Argentina. He scored seven goals and embraced the responsibility of leading his team out of those dark moments after a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the group stage.

Playing in the spirit of Maradona, Messi coupled his dazzling skills with rarely-seen aggression and led Argentina to the title by becoming the first man in a single edition of the World Cup to score in the group stage and then in every round of the knockout stage.

Messi was in scintillating form from the start of the final, putting Argentina ahead from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria was tripped and later playing a part in a flowing team move that resulted in Di Maria making it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Mbappé, on the other hand, was anonymous until bursting into life by scoring two goals in a 97-second span — one an 80th-minute penalty, the other a volley from just inside the area after a quick exchange of passes — to take the game to extra time at 2-2.

Messi still had plenty of energy and he was on hand to tap in his second goal in the 108th minute, with a France defender clearing the ball just after it had crossed the line. Argentina was on the brink of the title once again, but there was still time for another penalty from Mbappé, after a handball, to take the thrilling game to a shootout.