Nahuel Molina of Udinese talks about Argentina national team, World Cup, Copa America

By
Roy Nemer
-
18
Nahuel Molina playing with Udinese

Nahuel Molina of Udinese spoke about the Argentina national team, the World Cup and winning the Copa America.

Molina has been a regular part of the Argentina national team for a year. Being called up to the Copa America, Molina would rotate matches at right back with Gonzalo Montiel.

However, since the Copa America, he has started more matches for the national team and often looks like the first choice right back for coach Lionel Scaloni. Now with Udinese, the 24 year old spoke with Marca about training with Barcelona’s La Masia. Here is what he had to say:

On the Escuela del Barça and how he remembers it:

“I got there at 11 years old. It was a very nice stage, I enjoyed it a lot. I went with the idea of playing and learning how to position myself and a lot of things that as a kid I didn’t perceive.”

On getting to Barcelona:

“They were on another level. I was 12 years old and I think I didn’t take it as serious of an opportunity like it required. But I really enjoyed being part of it, the facilities, the stadium, La Masia…”

He was also asked about who his idols were as a kid:

“It was always Messi for what he represents. After that, as I got older, I started to watch Alves and Lahm.”

In regards to Rodrigo De Paul and how he sees De Paul at Atletico:

“He’s a great player and an excellent person who helped me a lot at Udinese.

Regarding Lionel Messi:

“Playing with Leo is crazy, I never imagined it. Not when I made my Primera debut with Boca could I have thought of all of this happening so fast: Coming to Italy, going to the Argentina national team… Being able to play with Leo is a dream.”

On what he felt when he won the Copa America:

“It was my first call up and my first matches with the national team. Winning the title was incredible because of the way it happened. The Copa was going to be in Argentina and they switched it to Brazil because of the pandemic. In the end we both got to the final and winning against them at the Maracana surpassed my dream.

What changed with Argentina:

“I can’t talk about the previous generation since I wasn’t there. Today, there’s a great atmosphere and a healthy competition. We all want to win and to bring the national team higher. There are changes in the 11 and the team continues to play well.

About the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup:

“Being at a World Cup is something unique. The expectations are high but first we have friendly matches and the match against Italy that is very important. We are taking it one match at a time as if they were finals. The World Cup is far. We hope to get to it in the best way.”

If he can dream about winning the World Cup:

“Obviously we dream about winning it. On a football level, it’s the highest, the climax for any player. You always dream about these types of things.”

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

18 Comments

  4. Cuti’s strength is his positioning, he is very good at anticipating opponents pass direction. With Cuti, Licha and experienced Otamendi our 2022 WC central defense is looking solid unlike 2018 where we had mediocre one cup wonder Rojo and slow snail Fazio partnering with Otamendi. Pezella who was in his prime and should have been played 2018 WC, is the slowest this time but his experience can be very useful to closeout games. I watched the first half of Betis vs Barca and both Pezella and Guido played very well.

    Simeone hopefully will score and Verona will beat Milan today! I want Inter win the seria-a.

  6. Cuti Romero had poor first half by his standards for yesterday game.
    Misse placed few passes almost made howler but he redeemed himself … the tackle to Jordan Henderson wasn’t needed either, my boy Romero is way too aggressive a times. having saying that he is the best defender we have since ayala … maybe licha but he must move a better league to prove my hype about him cuse I rate him highly..

    • So u are saying that van Dijk doesn’t have bad moments….see it’s a game of football u can never be perfect at everytime. Romero is world class that is his aggressiveness makes him one of the best CB in the world. He always disrupt opposition team momentum time after time. I will rather have a defender who is aggressive than who hides in the game in the name of positioning.

    • i swear people have selective memories..

      Otamendi was a PROVEN YEAR OVER YEAR defender. Defender of season in la liga when Real and Barca dominated. he was also one of the best defenders in the Prem for several seasons. For the NT, he was a FUCKING wall, i don’t give shit if he’s become a liability in recent years with his temper and low pace. Before that, he was a WALL. Maybe Cuti will be easily surpass him but as RIGHT NOW, Ota still has better history.
      I understand everyone desperate to move on from Oldies and to find their new shiny stars but give The General some credit man. We were fortunate to have him in his prime.

      • In Copa 15, 16 and 21 Ota was brilliant, WC10 and WC18 were a mess with Maradona and Sampaoli, total chaos. In 2010 he played out of position as RB, so these were not his faults. No team defending, structure nothing. In Copa19 he was average in a building defense.

  7. Mollina is the fastest player of this Argentina team. My ranking of fast players
    1 N. Mollina
    2 Juan Foyth
    3 C. Romero
    4 Rodrigo De Paul

Comments are closed.