Javier MASCHERANO talks Argentina finals, Lionel MESSI and more

By
Roy Nemer
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74
Javier Mascherano Argentina
Javier Mascherano with the Argentina national team.

Javier MASCHERANO spoke about the Argentina national team, Lionel MESSI and more.

The most capped player ever for the Argentina national team had his say about the three finals lost. The team lost the World Cup final against Germany and two straight Copa America finals against Chile. MASCHERANO has broken his silence about it all. Speaking with Estudio Futbol, here’s what he had to say:

“I like to analyze if we were superior or not to the opponent, not in the result. And in the three finals, we were superior to them.

“It’s difficult to talk when you have three straight finals and you don’t win, not even one. It’s difficult to explain but I had to analyze and think that it wasn’t for us, that they also exist in football.

“It was 19 matches without losing, between the World Cup and the Copa America, it was the road that had to be traveled and we couldn’t finish it in the best way. Many will say that we are unsuccessful and that’s what you have to be ready to put up with.”

Javier MASCHERANO also spoke about Lionel MESSI:

“It’s clear that he has been enduring them saying anything in the last ten years. They said he went to play the friendly for a sponsor. That’s crazy.

“If there is someone who has always been with the Argentina national team, that has been helping his team mates, that has behaved as he really is, a leader within the group, it’s MESSI.

“They talked about how he has to come back and when he comes back, it’s a problem. And when he’s not there, it’s a problem. Listen, it’s always a problem. I imagine he must be tired.”

About the Argentina national team:

“I never felt it as a burden. If that were the case, it would be difficult to keep trying to prove that you belong.”

On coach Jorge SAMPAOLI playing a false nine against France in the loss:

“I’m not the coach, I don’t know if it was reasonable or not. I could be a donkey playing football but vigilant.”

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74 Comments

        • LOL. You can sing praise to the oldies every day but at the end of the day, they will be remembered as chokers in those 3 finals (2014-2016) + WC 2018. History is already written.
          I ask you again, should Sabella, Martino, or Sampa scores the goal for them? Sampa even won the Copa 2015 for Chile.

      • Then, every time a player misses a penalty ‘fake fans’ should stop supporting him and the whole team. A true supporter will stand behind his players and team all the way.
        Soy Argentino, En Las Buenas y En Las Malas
        Soy Argentino, En Las Buenas y En Las Malas
        Soy Argentino, En Las Buenas y En Las Malas

        you don’t get it, do you?

  2. Scolini is best coach for Argentina at least he is choosimg right players.Sarvia Pezella Musso Battaglia are all good .Tactics are nothing players should know how to gear up the game for this you do not need to be expert tactician.Without his best player even Guardiola lost to small teams in PL or in CL

  5. all who are blaming the players for WC2018 failures, specially the midfield. and specifically Mascherano,Biglia and Banega.

    It is a subject that had been talked about many times here, most are overlooking the fact that it was Sampa’s tactics that got us eliminated in such an early stage, not the players. Parking the bus against Iceland, back 3 with high back line against Croatia knowing that our defenders are slow, we conceded 7 goals in a counter attacks, and finally playing without a striker against France.
    I have talked about the same points over and over. but now I would like to suggest one thing for all those who keep on blaming the players, specially the above mentioned ones

    look at the mirror and ask yourself: If WE HAD ASCACIBAR, WITH HIS POOR PASSING QUALITIES (as all agree on this), AND PAREDES WITH HIS SLOW MOVEMENT AND POOR TACKLING ABILITIES (as all agree on this) and LoCelso with his inconsistency (all agree on this), could we have stood a chance against Griezmann and Mbappe? who would be able to stop Mbappe and Griezmann from running a marathon in Argentina half out of those three- if following the same tactics outlined by Sampaoli- and without having a striker on board? Don’t lie to yourself and say, yeah they would have beaten France under the same tactical plan set forward by Sampoli. because then it is only a result of being prejudice.

    So please enough of bashing great players and let them go in peace.

    • or do you think that our current midfield or players that some are calling to have replaced Mescherano, Biglia and Banega in the last WC, would have won the battle against arguably the best midfield in the WC Modric, Rakitic and Kovacic ?

      If you say yes, Come on dude, they could not stop Venezuela’s midfield ! 🙂

    • > look at the mirror and ask yourself

      Doubt anyone will step up to address this question.

      > Sampa’s tactics that got us eliminated in such an early stage, not the players. Parking the bus against Iceland, back 3 with high back line against Croatia knowing that our defenders are slow, we conceded 7 goals in a counter attacks, and finally playing without a striker against France.

      Really well put, Ebo. I’d imagine blaming players is much easier because everyone has their favorites and loves to play armchair manager. They love to believe that if was only their X or Y, we would have progressed. Baffling how anyone can disregard the root of the problem. Bottom line, Sampas tactics and constant formation and player fidgeting are largely responsible the poor performance. it was only due the veterans that we were even able to play and even almost beat the champions.

      > Asca… Paredes…and Lo Celso..could we have stood a chance against Griezmann and Mbappe?

      Exactly…, same results. Add in pogba, kante, varane, and lloris and it’s even more ridiculous. We were clearly outclassed in terms of talent and add in Sampa donkey tactics and were surely up against all odds. If we were well drilled and used formations that played to our strength then maybe we could have won. But adding this or that players, wouldn’t have changed shit under Sampa.

      • “Exactly…, same results. Add in pogba, kante, varane, and lloris and it’s even more ridiculous.”

        I was referring to Griezmann and Mbappe just because IMO, they are the ones that created havoc for Argentina, shutting those 2 down, or at least not giving the amount of freedom Sampa gave them, would have given us an edge over France. Amazing how a coach of his caliber could not find a way to shut the highway those 2 players were cruising on !
        How do you derail a fast train? block the railroad, simple. playing 4 2 3 1
        with double pivot in front of back 4 without leaving space behind would have been sufficient, don’t have to use Tagi or Mercado as wingbacks, don’t have to let ROJO advance ahead and keep the midfield lanes occupied, specially after leading by a goal, that is soccer 101, if you can not beat your opponent one on one in the middle you go for numerical advantage by putting more players (regardless of how fast) and that would have limited their speed and freedom. OLD story that will hunt me for loooong time to come just like the final 1990 and 2006 quarterfinal against the f. Germans in both times . and it baffles me when people still throw the blame on the so called ‘veterans’

        • >with double pivot in front of back 4 without leaving space behind would have been sufficient, don’t have to use Tagi or Mercado as wingbacks, don’t have to let ROJO advance ahead and keep the midfield lanes occupied, specially after leading by a goal, that is soccer 101,

          Seriously…for fuck sake!! this pisses me off. 🙂

          simply instructing our slow ass defense to sit back to prevent the FLASH from speeding past them seems is so obvious. Spain also murdered us from high backline but clearly Sampa didn’t learn. *101

    • I’m not the oldies haters, just a fan who want to see Argentina lift a cup since 1993.

      You can sing praise to the oldies every day but at the end of the day, they will be remembered as chokers in those 3 finals (2014-2016) + WC 2018. History is already written. Also, the previous generation in Finals 2004, 2005, 2007. In WC 2018, did you forget the penalty miss against Iceland? Should Sampa take the penalty?
      Or should Sabella or Martino scores the goal for them? Sampa even won the Copa 2015 for Chile.

  7. I’m remember Batigol said about Mascherano before world cup either retired like a Hero or remembered like a villain, Mascherano not deserve to be the even squad member in 2018 but played in starting 11, with Mascherano is being selected friends club members underseving players like Biglia, Rojo, Enzo, higuain etc selected ahead of deserving Papu Gomez, Pazella, Icardi etc and lo celso 0min in world cup cost Argentina 2018, Mascherano isn’t legend who lost 6finals and out of 6 every matches he got a yellow card, Mascherano always remembered as politician defemaming Messi running friend club choosing his buddy choker finished higuain ahead of Messi room mate aguero

  8. Mascherano is certainly a hero but in the end diminished his status a little bit with politics and not knowing when to retire.
    As a professional footballer beside playing football you have to deal with fans, media.
    You must know:
    – you can’t please everyone.
    – they love you when your are good and hate you when you are bad.
    You have to block criticism, live with it, do your thing and get better.
    That’s all you can do.
    Messi, Mascherano, and the other have this beef with the media and some fans trying to impress and later sounding whiny.
    If I were Messi I would not give a f what a nobody has to say in a message board, newspaper, or TV. I would do my thing. You can’t please them all.
    If you listen to those guys and take it to heart then you are soft. You sound whiny.
    Football is played on the pitch. Decided on the pitch. Not in message boards, newspaper, or TV studios.
    You can’t blame the people criticizing, justified or not. A real pro and strong person doesn’t let them get into his head.

    • For me mascherano is real legend
      I think we will be hard to have
      Player like him most people will know
      His defensive skills but he was
      Very good passer on the ball
      Very underrated when coming
      His passing ability.
      I remembered jack wilshare
      Saying his England manager
      In that time Roy hodgson gave
      CD to watch so he can learn
      From mascherano. However
      He supposed retired in 2016
      After copa he stay bit too long .

      • Absolutely. If coach selected mascherano in playing 11 , it was coach’s blunder. For 2018, he wld have been a good sub with his experience in crucial moments. Undoubtfully he is a legend for carrying the team so well all this years. A final bad tournament dosent tarnish his status.

    • Nice post. Agreed with most but i have a gripe with the “whiny” and “soft” stuff.

      I don’t think they sound whiny at all btw. i wish more players would stand up. I actually loved Messi’s last candid interview where he took the gloves off and acknowledged the sack of shit minority of fans and the garbage arg media. He always had beef with Media but come on, there are no bigger cunts on planet earth.

      Most people that endure lies, accusations, and all out assault on their characters for a decade will react and that’s perfectly normal.

      It’s also rather easy for you sit there saying “I wouldnt have a problem” or “they are soft” because its not happening to you. Even still, just because you may not react negatively, it doesn’t thats the standard for everyones behavior.

    • “Football is played on the pitch. Decided on the pitch. Not in message boards, newspaper, or TV studios.
      You can’t blame the people criticizing, justified or not. A real pro and strong person doesn’t let them get into his head.”

      Yeah, right. But when a player keeps getting humiliated, cursed, degraded, disgraced, ridiculed and presumed a failure, ‘pecho frio’ , hijo de puta, o la puta que los pario. on TV, radio, all over social sites, instagram,tweeter,facebook,YouTUBE along with their mothers, fathers,kids,wives and theirr whole families, while they are there to play for they national team for no money in return,risking getting injured in the process which could affect their professional career, travelling half way around the world being on hours and hours on plane, changing planes, taking busses, without proper support from their federation . and in return be called hijos de puta, pecho frio ? COME ON, yeah be strong my ASS.
      Overlooking the mental aspect of the game is losing right there and then, before kicking a ball.

  9. What a night for Icardi who haven’t touched the ball since for 2month, i hope icardi finished this season with a high note although not best compared to previous 3

  10. I Love this man. True warrior and leader. Fuck all these ignorant haters.

    His absence has truly left a void in our wonderful team.

    Guido, Batta, Ascac are it for now. None of these guys come close to what masche represented but the pickings are slim so choice really.

    • He was a true ‘ANCHOR’ in which the team revolved around.
      Many will still deny the fact that looking at our team now, there is a ‘void’ in the midfield where the great Javier used to be. One of the best DM in modern times.

      Hopefully, Ascacibar, Caseras , Batta would be able to fill that void somehow.

      • We had such confidence with Masche running the backline. From his ferocious tackling to insane vertical and long passing, the guy was perfect. And we shall never forget Masche sacrificed his anus for the NT. lol Seriously, what legend! Miss him dearly. Him and Messi are by far the hardest to replace right now.

  13. I see Icardi is back playing for Inter……….hopefully this kid doesn’t ruin the rest of his career, providing what has happened with him thus far!

  14. Mascherano cost Argentina 2018 world cup, 2018 squad selection is totally awful 7-8 player don’t deserve to be the part of world cup leave playing 11aside

    • If we includes the subs, there were 8 veterans that played against Iceland. If Romero wasnt injured, that basically 9 same players like in 2014. We’ve seen in the past that a team relying on too many veterans will be get knocked out quick. Italy in 2010, Argentina in 1982, Germany in 1994, etc.

      Mascherano did the same mistake as Matthaus who played in 5 WC and Germany lost 0-3 to Yugoslavia in WC 1998 and he had a disasterous performance in Euro 2000 which caused Germany out at group stage.

      • I think it was Croatia they lost to if my memory serves me correctly but I totally get your point. The concept of evolution vs revolution is a hard one to get around in sports.

        • in 1998 yep, I watched that game with my cousin in Orlando, I remember that because he hated the Germans specially Klinsmann. and I was rooting for the Croats for my Croatian friend (and hated the Germans,too 🙂 )

        • Sorry my mistake, yea it was Crotia, ironically the same scoreline we got against them in recent WC. I’m just trying to point that just like Masche , Mattahus was given a privillage to keep playing in NT because what he has done iin the past (82-90). I mean Germany won Euro in 1996 without him but somehow he played again for in 1998 & 2000 tournaments.

          Masche should have known himself and retire after Copa 2016 final, the same with Biglia (mr passanger). We could have had a much stronger midfield with Lo Celso, Lanzini , Lamela etc if they’ve been playing throughout 2018 qualifier.

          Obvious Sampa was the main culprit but Masche certainly could have made a better decision for himself.

      • IMO, Wrong comparison
        He was 37 and something in 98, While Mascherano just turned 34 in June 2018. and Mascherano was still the best available #5 in Argentina.

    • Taking out of your ass again. Sampa CAUSED ARG TO LOSE Wc18. Masche played bad but the blame doesn’t rest on him. Sampa actions by far are the reason why we lost

      • till today, Mascherano is better than any no. #5 we have currently.
        Some will say no, but could not give us a name of such player

  15. Scaloni doesn’t have experience at all and didn’t impress us at all in previous friendly.
    I suggest scaloni should spend sometimes in superliga only if he can win a tittle then we can think about giving him one more chance .

  16. Eduardo coudet really know tactics and how to choose suitable players for suitable position . He had promoted lo celso ,Franco cervi ,Lautaro Martinez , Matias zaracho, Pol Fernandez,Saravia, Alexis Soto . At the same time he is able to find out suitable old players such as lisandro Lopez , citanvich ,donatti ,macro Ruben , pinola in Rosario central .

    Actually i think Eduardo coudet is the best solution even better than gallardo.

    • Coudet in fact might be one of best options. Maybe best along with Simeone or Gallardo. I respect him even more for what he showed as Rosario Central coach.

      • Both Coudet and Beccacece are solid options but neither have shown Gallardo’s ability to play tournaments or turn things around when there is a sudden drop off in form.
        I haven’t been the least impressed with Scaloni’s style of play and I really don’t think he’ll stay beyond copa but I will still wait till after copa before I pass my judgement on the guy.

        • Gallardo is better than them
          Both but they ‘re good a long
          With heinze the problem of
          Argentina is never been short
          Of talants weather is the players
          And managers but they always
          Optaind wrong players and wrong
          Managers especially the managers
          In wrong time next man come
          After copa definitely needs time
          Regardless.

  18. Copa Liberetadores:

    Atletico Paranaense – Boca 3:0 (3 goals of our Marco Ruben)

    San Lorenzo – Palmeiras 1:0

    • 5 actually. But nowadays the three straight final losses(WC and the two Copa) are the only ones talked about. Any mention of final losses account to those three finals.

      If Mascherano had been in the Mickey Mouse Confederations Cup squad it would have been 6 instead of 5. Messi is the one who lost in 4!

      PS: This is not blaming Mascherano (or Messi), it was Argentina NT who lost those finals not one man Mascherano FC or Messi FC.

      • Exactly, people tend to ignore the fact that Messi has played in 4 finals not 3. Masche has been in 6 finals if we count that mickey mouse tournament which we played with many second strings players like Collocini and Figueroa.

        Argentina is like Juventus in Champions league, lots of finals, rarely win. Argentina has been in 27 Copa finals and only won half of them, 14. They lost 3 of last 4 finals in penalty shootout. In World cup Argentina had lost 3 finals winning only 2. Even in Confederation, Argentina won 1 final , lost 2 finals.

        Its odd because everytime Argentina won the quarterfinal, they always won the semifinal, but then the final has always been 50:50 for them. However , that terrible overall record was due to all final failures in last 30 years.

        • It’s sad we couldn’t win anything
          Last 25 odd years but in way
          I feel cool when I see national
          Like England Spain only play
          One world cup final ..

          • No One comprehends that, Bro
            But, there are always ‘players’ behind the seen that affect Argentina NT in particular, 1990 Final and 1994 WC and this past World CUP(including the qualifiers) have many questionable incidents.

          • Spain only passed round 16 like 3 times in World cup. They’re not WC powerhouse except in 2008-2012 period when they’re certainly best in the world but that’s a very short period for. They never had long period of dominance like Argentina, Germany and Brazil.

            I just did a short check at wiki and Argentina actually reached 28 Copa finals out of 41 Copa they competed. This shows that Argentina will always be strong contender to be a finalist regardless the team form and situation. Last time Argentina failed to qualify from group stage was in early 80’s , so Scolani better take this tournament seriously .

  21. You either die a hero or live long enough to be a villain. Masch and co should have retired right after the 3rd Copa final. Had we injected young blood right after that 3rd final loss, we would have won the world cup. It was the easiest world cup to win after 2002.

    Having said that, had we gone with a proper coach instead of a donkey like fraud Sampaoli, we could have performed much better. All donkey had to do was use Sabella’s tactics , but donkey went to the world cup with 2 full time centre backs and his only intension was to attack , attack and attack. For him World cup matches were to only conduct his crazy experiments . Finally someone has come out and spoke against the Donkey coach’s crazy tactics. In the last two decades , No other nation has produced talent like us. Like it or not , we have been cursed by the football god that is why we always get Donkey after Donkey as our coaches, who somehow managed to always get us eliminated !!

    • > Masch and co should have retired right after the 3rd Copa final

      Not all “co” are created equal.

      Masche, Higuain, Enzo, and Biglia were the only ones.

      Di Maria, Messi, Aguero, Otamendi, Banega, Romero are still superior to current alternatives. (Romero only one in question. Banega or ADM start or great as sub, the others no needs to even justify)

      > Donkey tactics

      thats right lol. mind numbingly stupid.

      > why we always get Donkey after Donkey as our coaches, who somehow managed to always get us eliminated !!

      ahmen. weve always had managerial issues. no player can solves poor management. now we have someone at the helm that i believe will not turn out well.

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