Lionel MESSI: “If Argentina don’t do well in this World Cup…”

By
Roy Nemer
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52
Lionel Messi interview Argentina
Lionel Messi interview Argentina

With the World Cup fast approaching, Lionel MESSI has commented on the tournament itself, not playing as much, Sergio AGUERO, Gonzalo HIGUAIN and much more.

In an interview with TyC Sports, the world’s best player spoke about his personal life, Jorge SAMPAOLI and more. Here’s what he had to say:

Lionel MESSI on the FIFA World Cup

“If Argentina don’t do well in this World Cup, we will all have to disappear from the national team. I think that Croatia gives you more room to play but Iceland is more closed off in the back. And it’s very difficult to open up a team which is so tight on the back and quick on the counter.

“We went through a tough spell. But it’s true that we have to improve if we aspire to be world champions. I think that we have time to improve in these games and before the World Cup. when we’ll have a month to put everything in order before the start. As we are today, we are not far from that although there are better teams than us such as Brazil, Germany, France and Spain.

“We’ve had good games or at least good moments with SAMPAOLI. But we haven’t had a lot of games with him either. There was also the added pressure and the need to win. It’s not easy to play in those moments, with a lot of new guys, a lot of guys who weren’t used to going through these moments with the National Team. And that makes you play differently.”

Lionel MESSI on Sergio AGUERO

“Having Kun (AGUERO) with the form he is in right now at Manchester City, that is an advantage for us. He is one of the best in the world. Jorge SAMPAOLI’s arrival has done him a lot of good. Kun needs love. He has to feel like he has the coach’s trust and confidence and feel important within the group. Today he feels that on and off the pitch.”

Lionel MESSI on the Argentina National Team

“We are searching for (everyone’s happiness). This group has gone throught some difficult moments. It hurts a lot to have gone to three finals and be so criticised. We are the first ones to want to win with the national team. Playing in Argentina is an added pressure for this group that is criticized so much. It’s much more difficult for us to play at home than on the road.

“In the middle of all that has happened, we have suffered criticism outside of what is normal, they were criticising everything. Not only were they criticising what happened on the pitch but off it as well. That is why there is bitterness when we don’t achieve the results that we are looking for. Because we know what awaits us when that happens.

“They (the detractors) are waiting for all of us to leave, because it seems like we have been on the national team too long and it gets tiring to see the same players. Everything happens because of that. People want to see results. We feel like that and we carry that (burden). That’s not something that just happened. We’ve thought about that since the last Copa America, since the World Cup Qualifiers.”

Lionel MESSI on Javier MASCHERANO leaving Barcelona

“I understand that MASCHERANO wants to play more. He’s in the final year (of his contract) and he wants to play, not sit on the bench despite him sitting on the FCBarcelona bench. There is nothing more beautiful than playing and enjoying those matches. MASCHERANO sees now that he does not have that possibility here anymore.”

Lionel MESSI on Jorge SAMPAOLI:

“The coach talks to the players a great deal beyond the idea he has. I don’t dare tell him that I like this player or the other. There has been so much said about me running the national team and that I had my friends playing. It’s not like that. SAMPAOLI was being criticized before he took over as coach. Many people did not want him. He might not have known it before he took over, but he must know now that Argentina different compared to anything else.”

“SAMPAOLI was with Chile and had a very successful time there. He won the Copa América and lost to Brazil in penalties. He did things well there, but Argentina is something totally different. SAMPAOLI hadn’t taken over yet and they were already killing him. Maybe it is possible to think that this is an easy team to manage. Anyone who has been there, knows it is quite complicated.”

Lionel MESSI on resting

“I have learned that the season is long, that there are times which are harder than others because the years fly by and now my body pays the price for playing in so many matches. Being on the bench sucks. I realised that sometimes not playing is for the best. Being on the bench sucks because from the outside you see things more easily and you notice things you don’t when you’re playing. Sometimes you ask yourself ‘why didn’t he do that? It was easy.’ But on the pitch things aren’t as easy. I achieve records that I only find out about days later because people tell me about them.”

“Individual awards aren’t my goal. I’m interested in achieving things with the team. It was nice when I won them, especially in the first years, but I give more importance to the team trophies. I want to win more leagues and Champions League’s and something with Argentina. These are my goals.

Lionel MESSI on Gonzalo HIGUAIN

“He is suffering for the national team, but he must be in it. For me he is one of the best number nines in the world. He demonstrates this every weekend at Juventus but does not play the same with Argentina. The critics make him suffer, we have spoken about it many times. I believe that this period without the national team did him good. We spoke about it through messages, it was a good thing that he had this period of absence. But he must be in the squad.”

“The criticism went beyond normal and went beyond football. The bitterness we feel is because we know what awaits us if we do badly. People want results and, if they don’t get results, they want new faces.

Lionel MESSI on Barcelona, Newell’s Old Boys

“I’ve said many times that my dream is to play at Newell’s but I don’t know what will happen, and a part of that doubt is due to the way the country is at the moment. I have a family and my children come first, and then me. I want them to grow up in a calm place, being able to enjoy life with security. It is very ugly to see the things that happen in Argentina, that you can go out on the street and people want to rob you and that they can kill you.”

Lionel MESSI on his kids

“Benja, Luis’ (SUAREZ) son is really into football. He lives, breathes for football. He knows all the players. Thiago (MESSI’s older son), not really. He prefers cars, motorbikes. He likes football but that’s it. He just plays a little bit and gets tired. Mateo and Thiago (MESSI’s youngest son) are very different. Thiago is a phenomenon, more good and the other is just the opposite, a son of a bitch.”

Credit to Diana Kristinne and Juan G. Arango for the translated quotes.

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52 Comments

  1. Today Juventus Vs Inter or Hugain vs Icardi. Who will perform better even though Hugain has better players for Juventus? Icardi seems fast and quick and Hugain seems same.

  2. Those who praise Banega-Pizzaro-Vasquez midfield do you see them in action against Real Madrid?
    Absolutely awful…..!
    I hope Sampa is taking note…

      • Perez is always better than Banega. Perez is a hard worker and he can link well with the forwards. He is also physically stronger than Banega which is another very important attribute that makes him a better option than Banega. Sabella took a very good decision when he chose Perez over Banega. I hope Sampa will choose Lanzini over him this time.

  3. Real Madrid are taking Sevilla apart. Sevilla seems very bad this season. Liverpool could’ve defeated them easily but their defence is very weak. I haven’t ever watched a worse La Liga game than this one. 5-0 Half time!

  4. Just watched West Ham-Chelsea, good game of Lanzini. Even though he spent most of his time on helping his team to defend, whenever he had the ball, he was still dangerous, rewarded by an assist at the beginning of the game, definitely the only creative player of this team. Zabaleta was doing ok, he did his best to defend. Not always brilliant but played simple.

    Poor performance of Chelsea especially Fabregas. I think if Pastore joins this team, for sure he can take his place and can play much more than with PSG. Otherwise why not Lanzini? Will be great for him to join a big club like Chelsea one day.

    • Messi2018, I am not a fan of Higuain at this point in time but let’s be fair. Real Madrid struggled to win the CL before Higuain’s arrival at the team and Argentina also struggled and still struggles for a long time to win an international trophy. He can be partially blamed for Argentina’s drought of trophies but he was part of a whole team that contained 23 players.

      Why I don’t want want Higuain to be in the squad this time? Because his form with the NT declined a lot and he has no enough confidence to score goals against big teams whenever he pulls on the NT jersey which is a very bad thing for a striker.

      Are there better options for the NT than him? Of course, you have Aguero, Icardi, and even Dybala (althoug his performances with the NT were not brilliant but that goes back to being new to the NT and having less experience for the NT).

      I think if Sampaoli selects Lautaro Martinez instead of Higuain it would be great. Why? Everyone knows that Higuain feels big pressure but Martinez has ZERO pressure when it comes to playing for the NT right now.

      I hope Sampaoli will give the chance to the players who deserve it the most. Vamos Argentina!!!

  7. Right now in Europe who is the best no 9 ?

    Not Higuain
    It’s Icardi

    Let’s hope Higuain will be dropped again

    Win or lose trust Icardi

    Sampaoli is in that way

    Higuain had his chances and now it’s time for Icardi

    • Yeah that is right, Icardi is the best striker in Europe right now. He is even great when he doesn’t see much of the ball. One goal scoring chance is enough for him to make life difficult for his opponents. I hope he will perform very well at the WC.

    • To me, the best is Cavani but he has the world class players around him, unlike Icardi, so it’s quite hard to say. But for sure, Icardi should be in the top 5.

      As said by Messi and other fans, it’s still good to have Higuain because of his experience. I think it will be either him or Icardi but not both of them because Sampaoli used to prefer forward able to drop deeper and to do the playmaking job. So it will be Aguero and Dybala the top choice as starter for the forward position.

      • For me personally Cavani shouldnt even be compared to Icardi.Cavani misses too many chances(he has improved but still would miss sitters esp during the late stages),while Icardii’s shots to goal ratio is stunning,like the inter coach said he is a predator infront of goal

  9. The situation with Higuain is quite complicated, it is not that simple. And i am not saying this because i don’t like him or being ungrateful to what he has done for Argentina. I know that Higuain’s goal helped Argentina to proceed after the quarterfinals in 2014 world cup and i am very grateful for that, i respect this player a lot, i acknowledge him as a world class striker and i even like him as a character because it seems to me that he always tries to give his best and always plays him passion, but it is his mental strength in crucial moments that worries me due to the misses in the finals. And you know what, imagine if anyone of us being at his position, all of us would be affected the same. I feel really sorry for pipita because i can’t even imagine how he feels because of these misses and the critics he still receives because of these misses. It is easy for everyone to just sit and criticise but it is very difficult for all of us to just put ourselves to Higuain’s place and try atleast to imagine how he feels. On the other hand it is about Argentina’s sake.

    For me personally, i don’t mind having Higuain back because having a world class striker with experience on the bench is an asset and gives depth and depth is needed in all areas, but not as a starter. If it will be possible to take all the other strikers together with Higuain, it will be okay to me but if the inclusion of Higuain means the omission of either Icardi, Dybala or Aguero, i wouldn’t agree with that. If it would be for a player of leaving behind in order to pick Higuain instead it would be Aguero only because of his irritating tendency of being injured at the most critical circumstances and again i am still not sure.

    And guys it is not fair saying that Icardi and Dybala haven’t done anything for the national team, simply because we cannot compare their playing time to that of Pipita’s and Aguero’s.

    Anyway, lets stick together because this team deserves the best therefore lets all hope for the best because at the end of the day this is what is all about!

    VAMOS ARGENTINA!!

    • Same, agree. Pipita did fail us in thr final, but the team also failed horribly to create him chances the whole tournament (s). He is a scape goat. Having Pipita start id not my ideal (Icardi > Kun > Higuain > Dybala).. but having him on the bench is A HUGE FUCKEN HONOR. WE NEED DEPTH. We dont want a Palacio level player next wc final because of injured starters. Higuain is still an elite level player, flaws and all.

  11. Joke of the day from CR: “I don’t see anyone better than me. No player does things that I cannot do myself, but I see things others can’t do. There’s no more complete player than me. I’m the best player in history — in the good and the bad moments”

    • I have no time to check the words wheter are serious but if it is true this is most tasteless statement I heard from a professional sportsman.

      Besides, I’m sure that’s his last Bd’O

      • Yes this will be the Last F***ing time he lay his hands on the ballon d or. I would take any other player in the Planet even not an Argentine its fine with me, But never want to see that F*** even in the Top 3. Because there r so many better players than him among the humans who deserve that Award, Well Messi is an alien.

    • Very funny. He should have said: “Nobody taps in like me, nobody is selfish like me, nobody has the whole team passing to a person score like I have …, nobody has the media hype like me”

      The fact that he won Ballon D’or while Portugal eliminated in the first round of a WC is a disgrace to football. In addition, he performed very poorly in the champion league final that year as well. And remember Blater shifted the deadline for Ballon D’or voting. Just unbelievable!

    • He self-proclaimed so much that he shouldn’t believe in what he said. I liked his football style when he started but after the WC 2006, he became a very different player, more muscle but less creative, only obsessed by scoring goal and played annoying football. With time, he plays now like a traditional striker stayed in the box. I don’t see any of his contribution in playmaking. For sure he is a great athlete but not a great footballer, to me he’s not even in the top 10 footballers that I’ve ever seen playing. In his club, Isco, Benzema, Kroos, Modric have a bigger contribution than him. Unfortunately today, people only cares about record but not watching the matches in detail. To see CR7 win Ballon D’Or, it’s a disgrace and very pathetic for the football. Young people will take him as role model and will play for themselves.

  12. All the people here talking about Higuain not suppose to be at the World Cup are disgusting. You people are beyond human being. Seriously, do you guys think Argentina deserve a World Cup given how fans treat the players? The most horrible and ungrateful fans support Argentina. Stay forever curse, no World Cup period!! And I won’t take that back. Sick of reading these ungrateful despicable comments, you guys don’t deserve any moral victory. Worse supporters in the world = Argentina supporters. This team will be forever curse all the days of their football lives. You guys and the supporter in Argentina don t deserve a World Cup PERIOD.

    • 2 x agree that Higuain should be in the WC. People kept asking for their favourite players in the team, from Pastore, Lamela to Dybala; none of them performed. Remember only Higuain and Di Maria scored in the knockout stage last WC. Higuain is all time top scorer in Seria A in a season.

    • Take it easy kid, just because you think pipita can do no wrong doesn’t make it so. pipita is a fantastic footballer and has done well for Argentina many times but that doesn’t erase the fact he failed on 3 consecutive occasions to do what a TOP striker is supposed to do and that is to SCORE GOALS!! I forgive him for the miss in 2015 copa final because it was a hard pass from lavezzi but his misses against germany and then against chile in copa cent were UNFORGIVABLE. Remember, once might be due to chance but 3 times is a pattern. And lets not forget that Argentina is a nation that boasts the likes of Icardi, Dybala, perotti, Gomez, Correa, Aguero and even talented fringe strikers like Chucky and Alario, so it’s not like Argentina is in desperate needs for top strikers.

      • Dyabla 12 caps, 0 goals. Icardi, 0 as well. Though I believe they all should be in the team. Now 3 times unacceptable, what about the teams from generation to generation in the past 24 years. How many finals in between. Players can drop form, or get injured. Having Higuain there definitely better than guys like Benedito …

        • I think as Fans we must support any player whom the Coach chooses. We cant expect our Favorite players only selected. No Player is above the Team. Its Argentina no matter who scores or who plays we need to put on a great show at the World Cup. Period.

    • kid: an “interesting” soap box rant from you…once again… and even a curse on us from you…wow what next? but I’m afraid you have been beaten to that feat as you may or may not know we put a curse on our selves with the 86 win when a promise was allegedly made before that w/c if we were to win it but it was not honored by Maradona and co and we have paid with interest or in this case been cursed ever since.

      if any one is unfamiliar on it….read away…

      Story time! Let’s go back 3 years from now, 2014. More precisely, June 13th 2014. Argentina and Germany will face-off at the World Cup Finals, in no other place than Argentina’s classic rival, Brazil. Argentina loses the match, not because germany beat them (great team and fair winner, although) but because Argentina did not score a goal, even though Argentina’s scorers had many chances to score.
      A year later, Argentina reaches the final game of Copa America, a continental football cup. Same story: Argentina’s scorers won’t budge, and chile wins the Copa America on penalty shootout.
      AGAIN, a year later, a new copa america is in play, and Argentina reaches the finals without a sweat. SAME STORY AGAIN: Argentina’s goals won’t appear, players and fans in frustration, and a war starts in Argentina’s footbal organizations that will take two of Argentina’s main coaches (due to resignation/being fired from the team) and players from the team.
      in the last few months, Argentina was out of the world cup, playing HORRIBLE matches against teams that should not make Argentina break a sweat. For the last game, news came out that Argentina took with them a wizard/warlock/healer/whatever that helped them with a “cleanse of bad energy”. Players did not know about this, they played and won, with an amazing Lionel Messi scoring 3 goals.
      this “wizard” told the media (not directly) that on Argentina’s soccer team had a curse from two ends:
      When Argentina won the world cup on 1986, it was known that the team went to the Virgen de Itatí Sanctuary, and asked for help fopr winning the FIFA world cup. Argentina won, but most of the players did not return to the sanctuary to say “thanks”.
      When Argentina reached the World Cup Finals in Brazil, many curses were placed on the team so they cannot win the world cup.

  14. Its too much burden for a group of players who are emotionally so vulnerable. I know failure hurts and criticism makes that even more painful but at the same time they should also appreciate the tremendous support they receive world wide.Regardless of success , there is no player who escaped from criticism in any sports I think.Players like Messi should get used to it and avoid reading negitives only. As a fan I get worried when I read their such nervy feeling ahead of such a big tournament -WC.I think they should rather focus on what went wrong in those finals.

  15. This is what could happen in the knockout stages.

    Round of 16:
    Russia– Portugal
    Uruguay– Spain
    France– Iceland
    Denmark– Argentina
    Brazil– Sweden
    C Rica– Germany
    England– Poland
    Belgium– Senegal

    Quarter finals:
    Portugal– France
    Uruguay– Argentina
    Brazil– England
    Germany– Belgium

    Semi finals:
    France– England
    Argentina– Germany

    Final:
    England – Argentina

  16. I think HIGUAIN will be going to the WC 2018, All instincts are saying that, TAPIA, MESSI, everyone is saying that so he will be there in the 23, I don’t hate Higuain he is great forward, Forget about the past Misses and all, Misses will happen from all Strikers no matter who it is every body is human, We are already Playing Di Maria, Aguero, Biglia, Mascherano, Enzo, Romero etc etc all old guards so let Higuain also play, Anyhow this will be the last WC for all if they prove again its fantastic.
    But I hope Icardi don’t get dropped for Higuain, He deserves to be in the 23. Icardi will start scoring for us. Aguero-Higuain-Icardi but is there room for 3 Strikers in the 23??

    • if some how hig gets another chance it will be because of “strings being pulled” because as a player his style of play does not suit what samp is trying to install and play that alone make me question why hed be picked.

    • Oh! So you still want Higuain in the team? Wow! Just wow!! Imagine for a moment, what it would be like if Argentina reached the world cup final in Russia.. and Higuain missed another golden chance to win a trophy!?

      Seriously, I won’t watch the final if Argentina reached in Russia and Higuain starts again….

      • Its not what we want Its what the Coach wants which is good for the team, If Sampa feels that Higuain will be apt for his system, then he will be selected. Its the coaches job to make a player fit into his system, Everybody from Messi to Tapia is recommending Higuain, So will Sampa Compromise i dont know.

        And If Argentina reaches final & an Argentina fan not watching because of one player who he dont like?? Well its upto You.

        Even Messi will miss chances(like he did in the Final at WC 2014) What if Icardi Misses, What if Dybala Misses.They are humans not robots. Misses will happen to anybody.its either we keep living in the Past or be hopeful and wish for the best.

        I Don’t hate Higuain or any other Argentine player. Its just don’t like some Players playing style. Any way lets hope for the best there r 7 more months, Sampa is monitoring almost 50 players. So lets see.

        • mik: “Its not what we want Its what the Coach wants ”
          sadly with our n.t and their have been many cases over the years of certain players being picked or should I say the afa instructed certain players to be picked.

          • Yupp if i am not wrong there was a similar situation about Tevez too, Sergio Batista had to bow to the pressure to take Tevez at Copa 2011. At last he had to Bow rest is history.
            But one coach who didn’t do it is Sabella, I hope Sampa don’t bow to any pressure, he should choose a player whom he thinks should be fit into his playing style whether thats Icardi or Higuain or whoever. And i beleave Sampa is not a weak coach.

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