Enzo Fernández Opens Up on Helping Lionel Messi Finish ‘Unfinished Business’ as Chelsea Midfielder Reflects on an ‘Incredible’ Argentina Journey
Chelsea star, Enzo Fernandez has been thoughtfully considering his crucial contribution to enabling Lionel Messi to fulfill his long-held, ultimate aspiration, describing the entire journey at the 2022 World Cup as an “awe-inspiring” and deeply cherished experience.
The Argentine national team, affectionately known as the Albiceleste, achieved a spectacular triumph, securing the coveted global championship.
This monumental victory allowed their iconic and inspirational captain to finally complete his impressive array of accolades, thus elevating him to the legendary status of Pelé and Diego Maradona in the annals of footballing greatness.
Messi arrived in the Qatari nation acutely conscious of the dwindling opportunities he faced to seize the sport’s most esteemed and prestigious piece of silverware; he knew time was running out.
Having endured the profound disappointment of a final defeat in 2014, one can only imagine his internal reflections, questioning if fate would ever grant him another occasion to lift the celebrated World Cup trophy high above his head.
Miraculously, his aspirations became reality in the Middle Eastern nation. Argentina emerged victorious in what many described as an unforgettable and dramatic confrontation against France.
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The match itself was a spectacle, featuring Messi scoring two crucial goals and Kylian Mbappé dazzling with a remarkable three-goal performance, before the ultimate champion was decided through a tense and thrilling penalty shootout.
Fernandez, too, contributed significantly to this glorious success. He notched a truly unforgettable inaugural goal for his homeland during a pivotal group stage encounter against Mexico – a match that was absolutely essential to win.
This notable achievement cemented his place in history as Argentina’s second-youngest goal-scorer in a World Cup tournament, surpassed only by the unparalleled maestro, Lionel Messi himself.
Enzo Fernandez Reflects Proudly on Playing Beside Messi
The exceptionally dynamic and energetic midfielder, currently showcasing his prodigious talents in England’s top-tier league with the esteemed club Chelsea, amassed a treasure trove of unforgettable experiences during his time in Qatar – memories destined to endure a lifetime.
He expresses an everlasting sense of pride in having played a pivotal role in securing the most coveted of all footballing honours for a truly iconic countryman.
In an interview Enzo Fernandez conveyed GIVEMESPORT: “Achieving World Cup glory alongside Lionel Messi was an absolutely monumental and astounding accomplishment.
Our entire squad was profoundly driven and intrinsically motivated because, without exception, we had all grown up watching Leo’s extraordinary feats from our homes on television screens.
For countless years, we had collectively striven and battled for this ultimate triumph, and it represented the final, crucial piece of an otherwise complete and magnificent career for Messi – a clear sense of unfinished business.
“I feel an immense and profound sense of honour that I was able to share that historic and emotionally charged moment with him, and to lift the World Cup trophy right by his side, understanding full well the immense significance it held not only for him personally but for all of us as a nation.
Naturally, our collective aspiration was to secure this victory specifically for him, as it stood as the sole major sporting achievement that had, until then, eluded his unparalleled and illustrious career.
“He possesses an exceptional character and is truly a remarkable individual, and I am deeply privileged and proud to experience these shared moments of triumph and camaraderie with him.
He stands as the undisputed preeminent figure in the annals of footballing history, making it an extraordinary and singular privilege to occupy the same locker room and train alongside him.
This entire experience holds immense personal significance for me, and I am savoring every single second of it.
I make a conscious effort to fully absorb and cherish each fleeting instant I am fortunate enough to spend in his esteemed presence.”
Following his team’s glorious triumph in the World Cup, Lionel Messi was deservedly presented with the prestigious Golden Ball award, recognizing him as the tournament’s most outstanding player.
Concurrently, Enzo Fernandez, a prodigious talent merely two decades of age, garnered the esteemed accolade for the best young player of the competition.
Fernandez later revealed his complete unawareness regarding the very existence of such a prize, making his victory all the more surprising and delightful.
He expressed immense satisfaction at having successfully outperformed a formidable cohort of emerging stars, including luminaries like Jude Bellingham, Goncalo Ramos, and Aurelien Tchouameni, to secure this honor.
Recounting the experience, Fernandez articulated, “I harbored no anticipation for this award whatsoever.
In fact, I was utterly ignorant that such a distinction was even available, so receiving it directly after the final match came as a profound and welcome surprise.”
He continued, “I feel an immense sense of pride for this achievement, primarily because the FIFA World Cup brings together the absolute elite of global football, encompassing a significant number of exceptionally gifted young individuals.”
He described the moment as singularly unique, recalling, “When they summoned me to the stage, I genuinely had no idea which particular trophy I was about to be given. It was an exceptionally peculiar and disorienting situation for me.”
He vividly recollects the precise instant the award was bestowed upon him, noting that it occurred simultaneously with Messi receiving his Golden Ball for the tournament’s finest performer, and Emiliano Martínez being honored with the Golden Glove, recognizing his exceptional goalkeeping prowess.
The illustrious trio of Lionel Messi, Enzo Fernandez, and Emiliano Martinez now harbor ambitions of achieving an extraordinary feat: securing consecutive triumphs in the pinnacle of international football, the FIFA World Cup.
Anticipation is rapidly escalating for the forthcoming installment of FIFA’s premier global spectacle, with the co-hosting nations of the United States, Canada, and Mexico diligently preparing to open their stadiums and welcome the world in the summer of 2026.
However, the legendary Lionel Messi has yet to officially declare his participation in this grand event. His esteemed head coach, Lionel Scaloni, is deliberately choosing not to exert any compulsion upon his revered skipper.
The perennially brilliant player, who will be 38 years of age by then, has openly acknowledged that his current involvement in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami might potentially diminish his peak physical condition and competitive sharpness.
Despite these candid remarks, there is a widespread belief and strong expectation within the footballing community that Messi will indeed be a pivotal figure in the tournament.
Enzo Fernandez, among many fervent teammates, expresses an ardent desire to once again grace the pitch alongside the unparalleled maestro, an eight-time recipient of the coveted Ballon d’Or, at another major international championship.
The formidable Argentine national squad is once again considered among the principal contenders for the prestigious trophy and will soon discover their initial adversaries for the group stage when the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup draw, schedule to occur this coming Friday.
