After Argentina overcame France on penalties in the World Cup final on Sunday, Brazilian Legend Pele declared Lionel Messi “deserved” to win. He was an icon during his time and also helped Brazil to win world cup titles.
The former Selecao great took to Instagram to congratulate Messi, the tournament’s unsung hero after he assisted the South American team in defeating France on penalties. Legend Pele expressed his belief that the late Argentina legend Diego Maradona would have been pleased with his nation’s accomplishments. He also had kind words for Kylian Mbappe, the star forward for France who became just the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final and also scored from 12 yards in the shootout.
“Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way,” Pele wrote on Instagram. “Messi winning his first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved. My dear friend, Mbappe, scoring four goals in a final. What a gift it was to watch this spectacle to the future of our sport. And I couldn’t fail to congratulate Morocco for the incredible campaign. It’s great to see Africa shine. Congratulations Argentina! Certainly Diego is smiling now.”
Mbappe and Pele have developed a bond in recent months. During the competition, Mbappe broke Pele’s record as the youngest player to score nine goals in the tournament. Afterwards, the Brazilian congratulated him and said he was happy that he took his record.
