Mario Kempes talks about Argentina national team, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez

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One of the leaders of the 1978 FIFA World Cup winning team Mario Kempes gave his thoughts on the current Argentina team, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez and even his 1978 team.

Mario Kempes knows all about winning. Having been part of the first Argentina team to have won the FIFA World Cup, Kempes spoke to Cómo te va? (AM 1030) about Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina team. Here’s what he had to say:

“He’s (Lionel Scaloni) been learning. I said that Messi’s suspension would come in handy for everyone to be able to participate more in the Argentina national team. He learned to play without Messi.”

In regards to Lautaro Martinez, the Valencia legend had this to say:

“Now we talk about Lautaro Martinez? When he was at Racing, no one saw him? We always take notice of players when they go to Europe. He’s not only a number nine but he’s annoying, he will fight against every defense and is generous with the team. He’s a very complete player.”

Kempes also mentioned how the 1986 team is often mentioned more than his team:

“The AFA is now acting better, they are behaving much better. But we (the 1978 FIFA World Cup winners) were left apart for a long time. We’ve never been given the importance of having won the first World Cup. It’s always about the 1986 team.

“All of us who played in 1978 deserve the recognition. Alone, I would not have been able to do anything. It’s something that people don’t understand. I scored goals but we played 11 against 11 and everyone deserves recognition.”

22 Comments

  1. Well said Mario Kempes. I think Lionel Messi is also trying to make this point clear for so many years that Argentina has to fight and win World Cup if they come out as a team and not any individual to stress upon for winning the Cup. Even at the last World Cup Messi wanted to stress upon same philosophy. Unfortunately Argentineans have grown with individual worship for last many years since 1986 World Cup win.

  2. mcallister left out of brighton squad again and ironically brighton are winless in their last 8 games n they dont have a good goal scoring aggregate either alexis wud easily solve tat problem .if alexis was a brazilian i bet he wud have been in contention to start easily .

    • No wouldn’t doesn’t matter if he was Brazilian Argentine or from any other countries. He came here this month and practice with the team for like two weeks.
      A relegation fighting team will never take this risk.

    • Bullshit, argentine midfielders are simply mediocre, where is Guido Rodriguez our NT DM? Maybe short way back to Mexico….a centre back play instead of Paredes….Lo Celso at least plays…without a single assist…an attacking midfielder…Lanzini starts benchwarming…Lamela too…Palacios…at least sometimes plays, but not in the strongest lineup…in a Leverkisen, not in Barcelona…

      • Dear Casabala
        Btw How many young Brazilian mid starts for their team ?
        Paqueta cant even start for AC Milan.
        Aurther Melo cant even bench Rakitic.
        And these are the best young player your fav team got.

        Also few days back you said lo celso cant start now that he start you bring assist soon when he will assist you will bring goals when he will scored you will say he should play like maradona.

  3. What a player he was..
    And what a team we used to have back then.
    Fillol, a world class goalkeeper and one of the best at this era
    Passarella, one of the best defenders to have ever played the game
    Taranteli, a very good rb
    Ossie Ardiles, enough said
    Rene Houseman, amazing skills with the ball
    Ricky Villa, the other Totenham legend along with Ardiles
    Bertoni, Luque and of course Kempes and others that i may forget now.
    We might didn’t have a Maradona or Messi at this team, but we had great players at every position. This team is one of the most underrated teams ever as it was a great team!

    • you are right my friend.
      just unfortunately for the 1978 team they don t have the recognition that they deserve because
      of Videla regime back then.

      1978 and 1982 team was one of the best teams we ever had.
      for some older people than me they are saying that they was the most talented and better team we ever had in our hisrory.

      anyway. as i said the bastard Videla stolen what those players deserved.

        • the rest of world saying what their media saying to them.
          this is one more negative effect of Videla regime.

          Argentina national team didn t need Videla for win.
          Videla use the team not the team Videla.
          we had the team to win world cup anyhow.

          the truth is that Videla did damage to Argentina more than as much it is rumored he suppose “help”.

          he stole the recognition that this mythical players deserve for his personal agenda.
          the 1978 team was one legendary team full of great players.
          Videla stole what they deserve and four years later 1982 the same team with adition of Maradona again was unlucky because we had war back home.
          one day after the first match against Belgium we surrendered and the war over with our loss.

          who could have brains for football that period.

          anyway. old sad stories.

        • Cox4, really nice to hear from you as always my friend and i totally agree with everything you said.

          Csabalala
          Please stop with your propaganda. I know what you mean. You are talking about the Peru game but nothing of what it was rumorer was proved. Besides, are you saying that Videla forced Netherlands and other teams to lose against us? And even if he tried to do that, as they did with us before the 1990 wc final, noone would just go out and lose but fight for the win as we did in 1990 wc final. But the difference is that there were not any controversial calls on our favour in 78 while you can’t say the same about 90 wc final, you know exactly what i mean.

          People like you may want to believe what you said about 78 wc but let me tell you this: There are millions of people who can recognise the reall fixed world cups such as 94 and especially 02 (yes, i am talking about your secret love Brazil, the dirtiest team ever, fifa’s favourite association) as well as 54 and 90 wcs (Germany). These are OBVIOUS examples of corruption based on controversial calls and not just on rumors.

          So you better do your homework before talking next time.

  4. Buendia should be included in upcoming WCQ match. He got 4th highest number of keypasses in Europe top 5 league. And he plays for Norwich.
    His stats are unbelievable and better than any other Argentine Mid.
    With him behind messi and Lautaro. We can create some danger in opposition DBox

    • You right bro he must be in but
      Realistic speaking I don’t think
      Scaloni will call him and worst
      Thing is when he calls peryer and salvio Ahead of emi Buendía cos I know arg Nt managers always made one or two Odd descions..

      Man of the match – Emiliano Buendia (Norwich)
      Emiliano Buendia
      Recalled by Daniel Farke, Buendia had more touches, passes in the opposition half and crosses than any other Norwich player
      From BBCsport ..

      • It’s true Scaloni will call shit Paredes who doesn’t get game time but reject player like buendia who is needed badly bacause with buendia we could get even faster on counter attack.

      • We were always looking for a player that can provide to messi or the striker when messi is crowded.
        He can be that player.
        His passing is amazing. I think it will hard for scaloni not to call him.

      • Buendia is doing great..only issue is his ZERO goals. It’s amazing for any player to have such high key pases and assists but forwards still need to score.

        • That is why Daniel Farke benched him. He isn’t happy with his lack of goals. But we have some quality attackers if he can supply them that would do.

          • It’s absolutely wrong to blame that
            EMI Buendía hasn’t score goals
            For Norwich in this season.
            First look the position he plays
            He isn’t strike or forward he is playmaker
            Who play right winger he drop back as 8
            Sometimes.
            How many goals they score for thier clubs following players luke modric
            kingly coman Douglas costa
            Toni kroos Marco verratti thiago Alcântara Muzet ozil even kevan De Bruyne should Score more goals for man city.list goes on I mean those players Should score more goals cos thier abilities also the clubs they play for.

          • Buendia plays in Di Maria or maybe Papu Gomez position, these players are irrelevant…pure attacking midfielder…i’m not sure he can play even in 3men midfield (on the highest level) lack of goals is big problem. On whoscored attacking midfielder right 18 matches…midfield right 1…attacking midfielder left 2 plus sub matches ….on transfermarkt right winger 23 right midfielder 1.

          • Norwich play in 4-2-3-1 with 2 holding midfielders, Scaloni team dont play in this formation, with us and with Messi he could play on the left side, but not without goals. Career-wise right winger 68 matches, left winger 27 attacking midfielder 35 zentral midfielder 2…maybe he could play in De Paul’s role, maybe. 3 men midfield is a whole different story.

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