AArgentina coach Lionel Scaloni is evidently not ready to accept the prospect of future World Cups without Lionel Messi.
The 35-year-old football superstar recently announced that the upcoming World Cup would be her last. Scaloni now told CNN Radio Argentina: “It could be the last, I hope not.”
Scaloni: Messi makes people happy
Messi is happy when he is on the pitch, and Messi in turn makes many people happy, said Scaloni, who has been training Messi with the national team since the summer of 2018. He had taken over after the World Cup completely messed up for the Argentines in Russia.
The Albiceleste failed with Messi in the round of 16 against France, winner of the World Cup. Last year, Messi won his first major title with the Copa America under Scaloni. Argentina are undefeated in 35 games ahead of the final friendly against the United Arab Emirates on 16 November. There are still two games to match Italy’s record.
If they take care of Messi and dress him properly, “there could be more matches for him,” said Scaloni: “Because the world of football requires it.”
The first Messi World Cup in Germany in 2006
Messi, who played his first World Cup in Germany in 2006 with Argentina, recently told TV channel Star +: “Is this my last World Cup? Yeah sure.” He would count the days left until the World Cup: “I want it to start now and I’m already thinking about what will happen and how it will go for us because it will be the last”. The superstar, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, has failed three times with Argentina in Germany, in 2006 and 2010 in the quarter-finals, in 2014 in the final of Brazil.
The South Americans will debut in Qatar with the match against Saudi Arabia on 22 November. Four days later, the opponent is called Mexico, in the last match of the group on November 30, Argentina with the most world footballers Messi meets Poland with the world footballer of the past year, Robert Lewandowski.
