SUMMARY
- Argentina's head coach, Lionel Scaloni, praised Lionel Messi's leadership skills in an interview with Universo Valdano.
- Scaloni discussed Messi's body language and the impact of his words on the team.
Lionel Messi might have gotten a great Christmas present this time while he was yet again acknowledged by Argentina’s head coach and his fellow name sake, Lionel Scaloni. However, this time his leadership was brought into the mix, where the 45-year-old World Cup-winning coach acknowledged his talisman’s way to lead his team.
Messi ended the 36-year drought for the La Albiceleste last December when he helped his nation lift the much-coveted FIFA World Cup in Qatar. One year from then, Scaloni was still full of praise for the former Barcelona star’s leadership skills.
In an interview with Universo Valdano, Scaloni made mention of how easy it is for Messi to wear the armband and lead the side every time he steps onto the field. He stated, “Messi is a football leader, but when he speaks, I can guarantee you that he says the right words and what he transmits to his teammate I have never seen before, not in a footballer, in any person.”
Lionel Scaloni on Messi’s leadership ❤️
“Messi is a football leader, but when he speaks, I can guarantee you that he says the right words and what he transmits to his teammate I have never seen before, not in a footballer, in any person.
“It’s incredible, it’s difficult to… pic.twitter.com/J7oZuy9mDL
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) December 24, 2023
Scaloni even made mention of the current Inter Miami man’s body language. “It’s incredible, it’s difficult to explain it, I could tell you, but people have to experience it. What he transmits when he speaks, how he looks at his teammates, the way he looks at them, with admiration…it’s hard to explain,” he added.
Scaloni’s candid reflection has washed away all the rumors regarding his situation at the team. Previously, it was reported that Lionel Messi had dissatisfaction with the news regarding Scaloni’s resignation.
What did Lionel Messi say in the Argentina dressing room before the Copa America final in 2021?
According to the likes of Angel Di Maria and Emiliano Martinez, Lionel Messi’s iconic dressing room speech prior to the 2021 Copa America final has been making headlines ever since. Right before winning his first major trophy for his country, the then-34-year-old could be seen in a team huddle delivering a speech, which a leader would generally do.
A tournament that was previously scheduled to take place in Argentina was rescheduled to Brazil because of COVID 19. However, the change of venue wasn’t anticipated much by the Argentines, as Messi stated, “Forty-five days without seeing the family and the kids.”
Never forget Messi’s dressing room speech before the Copa America Final pic.twitter.com/IjxJpPECwx
— LM 10 FC ™ (@LM_10_FC) May 29, 2023
“We had a goal and we are one step away from achieving it. There is no coincidence. This Cup was to be played in Argentina and god brought it here to make it more beautiful for everyone. Let’s go out confident and calm and we’ll take this one home.” he added.
And eventually, they did. Argentina wasn’t shy of putting on an extraordinary display during the entirety of the tournament as they lifted the cup by beating Brazil 1-0 in the final.
