Argentina star Paulo Dybala recently shared why he wore Lionel Messi’s iconic jersey during a match.
With Messi sidelined due to an injury that kept him out of Argentina’s match with Chile, Dybala stepped in wearing the legendary No. 10 shirt. Argentina went on to defeat Chile 3-0, continuing their strong form without their World Cup-winning captain.
After the match, Dybala explained to TyC Sports, “Being able to come back, being here with my team-mates, with our spectacular people who support me a lot and the truth is that well, it’s special.
“I know it’s not my shirt, we all know it’s Leo’s shirt but well, I tried to represent it in the best way, to give my best and I think I was able to do it.
“It was a decision made by the coaching staff, some of the boys said that it had to be me… I didn’t know whether to accept it or not because, well, it is a responsibility.”
Messi sustained an ankle injury during the 2024 Copa America final, causing him to miss both the match against Chile and Angel Di Maria’s farewell game for Argentina. The injury also kept him off the field for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
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