Fernando Belasteguín, a padel legend who has been based in Barcelona for more than two decades and followed Lionel Messi’s entire campaign during his brilliant cycle at the Catalan club, considered today that “there is no Argentine who feels the shirt” more than the Rosario crack and that he has a lot of faith in him for the World Cup in Qatar.
“There is no Argentine who feels the shirt more than Messi, I see that the people, the press and his teammates realized that and he is delighted”, analyzed “Bela” in dialogue with Télam.
The former number one in the world paddle tennis ranking until 2017 (currently in ninth place) revealed himself as a football fanatic, a fan of San Lorenzo by birth and also of Barcelona, the city where he resides.
“I lived Messi’s best years at Barcelona, I enjoyed it. I had the opportunity to meet him when I went to the locker room in a tribute that the club paid me, which recognized me as number one in the world, and I treated him a couple of more times” , expressed the paddle tennis player born in Pehuajó.
Belasteguín developed a strong bond with Barcelona figures such as the Dutchman Johan Cruyff, with whom he maintained a friendship until his death in 2016, he also revealed that he maintains an excellent relationship with Luis Enrique, Carlés Puyol and Andrés Iniesta.
“There is a great illusion for the World Cup and all Argentines are in tune, I mean the people and the team, with a good replacement of players who kill themselves for the shirt and so that their idol is well”, added “Bela “, who published a biography with a prologue by Iniesta, one of Messi’s great partners at Barcelona.
“I think that Messi found an impressive emotional balance in the Argentine team and that is why so much enthusiasm was generated for the next World Cup,” concluded Belasteguín.
