La Serena (Chile), June 10 (IANS) Barcelona star footballer Lionel Messi says he is in better form than last year and expects Argentina to win the 2015 Copa America after the disappointment of losing the World Cup final a year ago.
Messi, who just helped Barcelona deliver a treble of Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey, has re-gathered with Argentinean teammates and started preparing for Copa America, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Today, I get better than the last World Cup. Last year most of us were recovering from injuries. I don’t know whether it’s the best moment of my career, but I do feel good and happy, when I go onto the court I can achieve things as people want,” Messi said here on Tuesday.
Argentina went down to Germany in extra-time during last year’s World Cup final, a result which left the Barcelona man still searching for a major honour with his country.
“This group deserves to get something after the World Cup. It’s a dream to get a (trophy) with Argentina. Individually and physically, we are better than we were at the World Cup,” Messi said.
“We have great players to lift the Copa. But we have to prove it on the field, because we have great rivals who want the same and it won’t be easy,” he said.
Although he believes his team is “favourite” to win in Chile, he warned that it is a Copa America which has a balance of power among several teams, praising hosts Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Argentina have been placed with defending champions Uruguay, 2011 finalists Paraguay and CONCACAF team Jamaica in Group B and will play their opener against Paraguay on June 13.