Lionel Messi has dedicated an emotional Copa America triumph that saw him break a senior international trophy duck to “45 million Argentines” and Diego Maradona, “wherever he is”.

Messi has, after helping Argentina to a 1-0 victory over Brazil at the Maracana, posted on Instagram: “It was an incredible Copa America.

ALSO READ: EURO 2020: England fans start petitions to get ‘unfair’ final replayed

“We know that we can still improve a lot of things, but the truth is that the guys gave it everything and I can’t be more proud to have the luck of being captain of this spectacular group.

“I want to dedicate this success to my family, who always gave me the strength to move forward, to my friends that I love so much, to all the people who believe in us, and most of all to the 45 million Argentines who have endured such a tough time with this virus …, especially those that have been personally affected.

ALSO READ: Kalu denies visiting British envoy to discuss IPOB matters

“This is for all, and of course also for Diego, who surely was supporting us from wherever he is. In order to continue celebrating we have to continue taking care of ourselves.

“Let’s not forget that there is still a long way to go to return to normality and I hope we can take advantage of this happiness to gain a little strength to fight the virus together.

Barcelona are reportedly ready to offer Messi a new contract. The Catalan giants have been working for days to resolve salary issues, with the goal to make a renewal announcement as soon as possible that would keep Messi in Spain until June 30, 2023. The agreement is imminent, with only the signature is missing.

Vanguard News Nigeria