Roberto Ayala gave an interview where he spoke about Lionel Messi’s evolution in the Argentina national team as well as Dennis Bergkamp’s goal for the Netherlands at the 1998 World Cup against Argentina and much more.
Ayala was Messi’s team mate at the 2006 World Cup as well as the 2007 Copa AMerica. The former Argentina captain spoke about the current captain. Speaking with 90, here’s what Ayala had to say:
“Lio likes to be treated like anyone else. He’s a very closed person who has grown a lot in recent times. Today, he’s a leader on and off the pitch.
“When he first started, we were team mates, he practically didn’t speak. What’s more, he would go out and train because he had to. If not, he would have stayed in his room. Today, he participates in everything: He talks with his team mates, he asks them how they are. Even before the matches, he talks a lot.”
On the goal scored by Dennis Bergkamp vs. Argentina:
“I’ve seen that play many times and I still can’t find my mistake. In the penalty area, I didn’t make a mistake. Yes, there’s the incredible ball control by him, an incredible finish. In that play, there are many good things which Bergkamp did that no one gives any importance to, they just see a supposed error by me. What I do admit is that I was badly positioned when the ball came because had I been properly placed, I would have fought for the ball without problems.”
He was also asked about being part of the Argentina national team coaching staff:
“Being back with the Argentina national team as an assist with Scaloni is very special for me because I’ve been there since 1993, when Alfio Basile first called me up. I feel very comfortable. You have to make an effort to be here because you leave aside many things to be able to have the prestige that can only be given to you by this shirt. There is nothing more beautiful than putting on the sky blue and white shirt.”
One of the best things of this covid lockdown is seeing the old NT games in youtube. There is a FIFATV channel in youtube which has Arg-Brazil(1990) , Arg-WG( 1986) , Arg-Cam(1990) full games .
I am currently seeing a 2005 friendlly ( Arg-Eng) in youtube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3GIcTsS5gA . Great pacy game in the first half i just saw with maxi-tevez-crespo-riquelme-sorin-zanetti. We have really lost steam in last few years compared to this game.
i am warching this period too so much old games we played.
i enjoy it very much too. it is my favorite thing to do.
i understand you.
on the other side i want Roy continue post articles AND about our past and our legends.
i like that a lot.
the history is for remember and apreciated.
there is no future without past. if you forget your history you are lost.
so i want continue Roy post AND about our past.
Let past be past we cant change that but right now there is a serious need to concentrate on U20 and U17 teams its been a very long time none of them have won WC in their categories.There is a common pattern among them they both lose in their final games or when they are leading like against paraguay in u17 WC and brazil in final group(preolympic) game they need to be taught to conentrate till final minute .I feel olympics should be the final chance for fernando batista(his style ,tactics and formation are not that great) otherwise he needs to be replaced by walter samuel(Reason:he is part of scaloni staff and senior side and u20 side needs to be in sync with each other) or someone else and fernano batista could be making a huge blunder by not taking overage players (players who can be usefull in WC like icardi,benitez and jonathan silva) for olympics but hopefully ayala learns from his mistakes of not thaking argentine european club(YOuth) players for U17 WC
My bad it is aimar not ayala who did not take many argentine European club based players to u17 wc and Batista in u 20 wc didn’t used the same team which won la Acuda with scaloni could be the main reasons argentina didn’t win or at least reach semi finals in u17 and u20 world cups
What about g. Reyna? Is there any chance that he can play in sky blue T-shirt?
No
Time to forget the past for Ayala, it’s a second chance for repair and reclaim the glory back. Work hard to search and find the right defensive player; who will not repeat the same mistake again.
For Roy, just my two cents; better we brings the topics of a potential player and discuss about it. Lets put in memory this D’Allesandro, Roberto Ayala, Gonzales, Biglia and all their N/T painful stories. Being ignored by the coach and not selected during their prime or being called at their injured time. Let’s Move On.
Take a look at U-17 and U-20 ! Thanks a lot
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