Juan Román Riquelme on Argentina: “They play as a team, not a national team”

By
Roy Nemer
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9

Juan Román Riquelme spoke about the Argentina national team and the coaching staff.

Román Riquelme played in one FIFA World Cup for Argentina in 2006 and was instrumental in that team. Now retired, Riquelme spoke to ESPN about the Argentina national team. Here is what he had to say:

“The team is there to compete against the best. You have to recognize that the team is doing well. I beleive Argentina have an advantage which I haven’t seen in a long time in the Argentina team. That is that they already play as a team, not as a national team and that is difficult to achieve with Argentina.

“They already know each other, they manage the matches and they have the best player in the world that is preparing for the World Cup and I am very excited that it will go very well for us.”

Riquelme also spoke about the coaching staff:

“There is Aimar, Samuel, Scaloni, the one’s from the youth World Cup from 1997 in Malaysia. Time passes by quickly, it’s the only thing that can’t be fixed. With Ayala, we had the opportunity to share the 2006 World Cup. They are all good people, I love them a lot, I always want them to do well in the senior team, in the youth teams that Mascherano and Placente are working on. It makes me very happy to see them work and how they are enjoying it.”

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9 Comments

  3. Pekerman was probably gets bribed in 2006. Argentina bench in second half includes Messi, Aimar, Saviola, Crespo & Riquelme… Most absurd decision in WC history.

    In comparison , teams like brazil, france & portugal keeps playing their young prodigy for full minutes.

    • suspiciously yes, how he replace Riquelme and put Aimar on the bench. and bring Julio Cruz. Leading with 1-0 and get k.o The nightmare is still with fans

      • Yea, Cruz rarely ever play for the NT. He has no chemistry with the team whatsoever. Also, he took out Crespo & Roman as soon as we took the lead. Imagine if Roman stays on the pitch and we put Messi when Germany was at vulnurable situation. I have no doubt that style wise, we would have beaten Italy.

  4. Riquelme has always supported the team and not just after they started winning, he was always fair in his criticism and gave them credit when due.
    Good words from a great playmaker and just like all of us, wish he played in 2010, who knows!

  5. Villarreal has no interests in signing Lo Celso…. Paredes will leave PSG too… DePaul is not a starter…..

    No doubts that our midfielders have been playing well in NT. But their market values and situations in professional leagues are just pathetic….. No big clubs are chasing our players this summer……

    • Villarreal have no money not interest (30 mills is huge for them) Sevilla and Atletico want him. Paredes want to stay if not, Juve or Inter will buy him, De Paul played the most minutes after Koke in Atletico midfield.

      • Exactly csabalala, it seems some fans are already in panic mood , it’s way too early to worry about transfer business , I’m confident some our players will change thier clubs, molina will move bigger club, senesi and tagliafico will move to the bigger leagues, enzo Fernandez will cross Atlantic ocean to come Europe atm benfica are the favourites to land him. Licha martinez has 50 chance to follow his ex manager at man utd.

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