During a recent Radioestadio night interview, Lionel Scaloni expressed his belief that Lionel Messi would grace the next Copa America with his presence, quelling any doubts about the superstar’s participation.
Beyond the Copa America and international competitions, Scaloni also reflected on Messi’s soccer journey and his potential future. The coach’s statement, “Messi will play good football until he wants to,” underscores the universal acknowledgment that Messi’s brilliance is timeless.
Messi‘s recent move to Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer (MLS) team, raised eyebrows and sparked discussions about the potential impact on his competitiveness. However, Lionel Scaloni quickly dispelled any doubts by stating, “The fact of playing in the US doesn’t make him less competitive, he carries the competitive gene inside.”
Lionel Scaloni on Messi:
“I think Messi will play in the next Copa América. I will not be the one to say no to him”
“The fact of playing in the US doesn’t make him less competitive, he carries the competitive gene inside.”
“Messi will play good football until he wants to.”… pic.twitter.com/AVN6hcSCWd
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) August 1, 2023
The 48th edition of Copa America, slated to take place in the United States in June 2024, carries an air of anticipation and intrigue. Despite Messi’s advancing age, with the star player turning 37 around the time of the tournament, his current engagement with Inter Miami in the MLS could prove advantageous.
Playing on American soil offers Lionel Messi a unique opportunity to acclimate to the environment and gain familiarity with the playing conditions. Moreover, Messi’s on-field performances suggest that age may hold little sway over his ability to deliver stellar performances on the grandest stage.
Lionel Scaloni’s contribution to Argentina’s success so far
The transformation of Argentina under the leadership of Lionel Scaloni has been truly remarkable. His journey with the Argentine team commenced as an assistant coach alongside Jorge Sampaoli in 2017. However, following Argentina’s disappointing performance in the 2018 World Cup, where they were eliminated by France in the pre-quarterfinals, Sampaoli was relieved of his duties.
In November 2018, Scaloni’s appointment as the team’s head coach was officially announced. His inaugural significant tournament at the helm of Argentina was the 2019 Copa America, hosted by Brazil, where he steered the Argentine side to an admirable third-place finish.
🇦🇷Lionel Scaloni since taking over as coach of Argentina on Nov,2019;
🏆Won the 2021 Copa América,their 1st trophy in 28 years.
🏆Won the 2022 Finalissima.
🏆Won their 3rd FIFA World Cup,since 1986.
🌟He did all this beating the reinging champions.#FIFAWorldCup|#Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/CgnItN51BW
— FIFA World Cup Stats (@alimo_philip) December 19, 2022
However, two years later, he masterminded Argentina’s conquest of the 2021 Copa America, a triumph secured by beating host nation Brazil in a captivating final. This victory marked a momentous occasion, breaking a 28-year major title drought for the nation and eliciting jubilant celebrations across the country.
Under his astute guidance, Argentina continued its successful trajectory by clinching the 2022 Finalissima trophy. In a resounding victory, the Albicelestes prevailed with a convincing 3-0 win against Italy, the reigning champions of Euro 2020, in a memorable showdown held at Wembley Stadium.
Defying the odds, Scaloni orchestrated an extraordinary achievement by guiding Argentina to victory in the FIFA World Cup of 2022, ending a lengthy 36-year wait to hoist the coveted World Cup trophy.
Despite an initial setback against Saudi Arabia, Scaloni’s smart strategies helped them win every match afterward, and this amazing journey ended with a big victory over the strong team of defending champions, France, in the final match.
Official. Full agreement reached for Lionel Scaloni contract extension as Argentina head coach until June 2026. 🚨🇦🇷🤝 #Argentina
“I’m proud to announce we’ve agreed Scaloni’s new deal until World Cup 2026”, AFA president Tapia says. pic.twitter.com/NB0tl5DGM7
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 28, 2022
To the delight of fervent Argentinian supporters, the 45-year-old mentor penned a new contract in February of this year, extending his tenure until 2026.
