In the wider football conversation reaching Asia, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has looked both backwards and forwards: towards the Lionel Messi he would have liked to manage at his most explosive, and towards the challenge of rebuilding confidence after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain.
Scaloni’s Messi wish
Speaking to MiGu, Scaloni reflected on Messi’s evolution from the young Barcelona forward who could change a match alone into the senior figure who became central to Argentina’s recent era.
- Scaloni said he would have loved the opportunity to coach Messi when the forward was 22 or 23.
- The Argentina manager described that version of Messi as an exceptional, singular player, while stressing that he remains unique.
- He said Messi also performed well for the national side.
- Argentina’s staff, Scaloni explained, sought to shape an environment in which Messi and the rest of the squad could feel at ease.
“The Messi at 22 or 23 was a player unlike anyone else,” said Scaloni, the former Deportivo de La Coruña player. “He did well with Argentina too, but I would have liked to have him when he was younger. He was unique, and he still is. He felt comfortable with us, and we tried to provide everything needed for him and the whole group to feel comfortable.”
A difficult next chapter after Spain
Scaloni also addressed the mood around the final against Spain, where there were exchanges between players, and played down the significance of those moments. His larger concern was the work awaiting Argentina after the result.
He said the conclusion of the final marked the beginning of a new phase, irrespective of whether the team had won or lost. The aim, he suggested, cannot simply be to reproduce trophies, but to retain the bond that developed between the team and its public.
- Scaloni acknowledged that recreating the feeling around this Argentina side will be demanding.
- He said supporters identified strongly with the squad, calling the scale of that connection “frightening” in a positive sense.
- He warned that repeating such an achievement would not be straightforward.
- He nevertheless said Argentina would try to do so, whether the present coaching staff remains in place or not.
“Once the final was over, the next stage began; it was not simply about winning or losing,” Scaloni said. “We will give that stage a chance. I am not talking about duplicating the titles, but about the team transmitting something and people feeling represented by it. That is hard to achieve.
“It will not be easy to recreate something like this. The public identified with this national team, and that is frightening — in the good sense. As a coach, you have to understand how difficult it will be. Naturally, we will attempt it, whether we are here or not.”
