Pedri, who won the FIFA World Cup with Spain, revealed he supported Argentina any time Spain were eliminated in the World Cup in a press conference prior to El Clásico. The Spanish midfielder won football’s most prestigious trophy in a 1-0 final win over Argentina, captained by Lionel Messi.
Ironically, it was Messi himself who drew Pedri, his former team-mate, to cheer on La Albicelesteany time Spain were out of the running.
“Argentina holds a special place in my heart because of Leo Messi. I’ve supported them since I was a child, and whenever Spain was knocked out of tournaments, I would root for Argentina—all because of the love I’ve had for Leo for years,” Pedri said.
The pair had a brief spell as team-mates in Messi’s latter years for FC Barcelona. The Catalan club was in rebuilding mode then, and Pedri was quite young, but their link-up on the pitch was still notable.
“To me, Messi is the best. I know some people have different opinions, but based on what I’ve seen myself, no one comes close. I was lucky enough to play alongside him for a full year, but that year felt far too short. I wish I could have spent many more years with him.”
Widely considered the best player of his era, if not the greatest player of all time, Messi is also the player who has scored the most goals in the history of El Clásico.
Barcelona play Real Madrid this Sunday in a match that holds massive implications for the fate of La Liga, even as the league is still in its early stages this season.