Messi Shares His Thoughts on Scaloni

Argentina national team forward Lionel Messi expressed his views about team head coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi highly praised his relationship with Scaloni and the coach’s impact on the team.

"One of his best qualities is his feeling for the game. Beyond preparing for matches, his closeness to the team is remarkable. He knows how to relate to the players and how to approach each one individually.

He introduced new players into the team—including some whom even Argentinian football fans were not very familiar with. Regardless of where they play, he monitors them closely.

This motivates all Argentinian players. They know that if they perform well, they could be called up to the national team.

That’s an extra incentive. All these things are thanks to Scaloni.

He was a strong-minded player, and now he has become much more serious.

But as a teammate on the national team, he was completely different. He was always joking and never stopped joking.

He used to spend time with the younger players. I always joke around with him, too.

I often tell him, 'You gave me such a hard time at the 2006 World Cup.' He replies, 'That’s not true.' And I say, 'You just don’t want to remember, but I remember it clearly.'

He was always close to the team, spoke with every player, and knew them well. Even after he became a coach, our communication remained the same.

He is very open: he clearly tells each player what needs to be said. His preparation for matches is exceptional. He studies opponents and identifies where we might run into problems.

He is an incredible person," Messi said in an interview with ESPN. Under Lionel Scaloni's coaching, the Argentina national team won the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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