Nicolás Tagliafico spoke about the Argentina national team and the World Cup.
Tagliafico was at a press conference with Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni where Scaloni spoke about the team and Lionel Messi not starting against Jordan. In the same press conference, Tagliafico spoke about the team. Here is what he had to say:
“It’s an immense pride because one doesn’t sit around counting the matches but works day by day to make them as numerous as possible. It’s nice to back a little to the past to remember the moments lives.
“We have players of high quality in midfield and sometimes that makes one serve more as support and there are also matches that demand more defending. The team’s unity makes things go well for the national team.
“Maybe I’m living this moment and don’t realize it as much but surely in the future, I’ll remember it with a lot of happiness. Sometimes one stops to appreciate and it’s very nice.
“I’m in optimal condition to play. As for the group, it’s very competitive and doesn’t let up.
“Every player that comes to the national team wants to be here, to do their best for their team mate. When you bring together players with the same mindset, it becomes difficult for the opponent. A very tough national team is formed.
“I think the team is working with the same harmony as before and let’s hope things start falling into place. We shouldn’t put pressure on ourselves.
“One thing we have clear is that we cannot relax. Every player has to work to the maximum because that internal competition makes us better.
“I think one of the team’s characteristics is that it adapts to situations. The national team understands that well and knows how to adapt to moments, emotions and that is important in such an even World Cup.
“I think today, the team is more mature, there are champions and that brings experience. But we know that we cannot let our guard down because things are defined by details.
“Our trainings are intense and that helps us not to relax and to maintain the necessary contact with the ball. Physically and mentally, that helps us a lot.”
Really really want our julian and pautaro to fire things up this is theri prime they must up their game from2022
I want to see their respective versions they shown in argentina legue where they did dribbling, playmaking finishing all in one in beast mode and nico paz, simione, almada, barco too fire tomorrow
We need collextive effort to go all the way and make fear factor to anyone who comes against us
So all the credit goes for Bielsa who went even more ”Loco” sticking with Muslera between the post’s. I could not belived my eyes when i saw the starting 11 from him against Uruguay. He should had never started with Muslera again after Capo Verde game. He completly destroyed Muslera and Uruguay by sticking with him against Spain. Argentina will never forget and forgive him what he did to Argentina at 2002 and also i would never forget and forgive him too, but this time it allmost feels like he gave a gift to Argentina as i’m not underestimating Capo Verde or not taking them lightly, but without those Muslera’s blunders Argentina would had faced Uruguay or if Uruguay had won against Capo Verde or Saudi Arabia and played a draw against Spain Argentina might had even faced Spain in round of 32.
I can only try imagine how Uruguay as country are feeling about Bielsa now. He destroyed completly Argentina at 2002 and now Uruguay too, though i’m not comparing theese 2 teams as they can’t never ever be compared at all! Most of Uruguay’s players were completly out of form and not physically fit at all for Bielsa’s tactics, but how he decided to stick with Muslera after allready 2 big blunders against Capo Verde will be also remembered in the football history of Uruguay and surely in whole SA too as such big mystery it will remain!
Anyway i would rather have Argentina to play against Capo Verde, than Uruguay, hence it could have been even Spain who did not convince at all in 3 of their group games, maybe against Saudi Arabia, but Argentina had to play Algeria and Austria who are with all respect far better teams, than Saudi Arabia and Capo Verde, yet again Still i won’t take Capo Verde lightly and i’m sure Scaloni will not also! Not convinced by Spain so far….Yes, Spain won against Saudi Arabia, but played 2 very bad game’s against Capo Verde and Uruguay so the grup H was not, that hard as Argentina’s group with Algeria , Austria and Jordan….
Yes, Argentina has not played Jordan yet, though Argentina won 2 of their matches against difficult opponents and won their group allredy, but is also true Argentina has many things to improve, yet Still i do trust in Scaloni and his team!
There is no such a team who do not need to improve in WC and Yes, the draw looks favourable compare to other’s, but there are no easy games and no room for misstake’s.
The very good thing is Scaloni has proven he is one of the best International tournament coaches if not the best allready so in Scaloni we should trust!
Vamos Argentina!
100% agree. Biesla is the prime reason for Uruguay debacle. His terrible decisions cost Uruguay like he single handedly destroyed one of the greatest argentine squad in 2002.
I am now hoping Colombia win the group tomorrow & wishing for egoistic penaldo elimination as soon as possible.
100% true. An egoistic stubborn person. Having said that we have to agree that Uruguay had no quality or personalities in their team. Cape Verde are now supremely confident and will do what they did in these games at 200% against us. They have speedy wingers.
I was at a couple of games in person recently – Argentina vs Austria and France vs Norway
I have been watching this game for 40 years and off course you see a lot more in field and in than in TV. Have been a proud member here since 2012 and prior to that many of us were in worldcupblog.org which started in 2004/5 timeframe.
Something from the Argentina game and generally about Argentina…
1. We are solid as a team. Scaloni and co has a plan and a system that works with players who are accustomed to it. Scaloni is extremely flexible with the system but very less with the selection of players. If you know what I mean. To have an extremely fluid and changing system depending on strength and weaknesses of two teams playing you need a fixed set of players who are comfortable and skilled to adapt. So don’t expect a lot of personnel changes. Flexible systems with fixed set of players, period.
2. I have said this before in another post. Based on 2 games I can say we are playing more through the middle. Creating congestion in middle, narrowing the field. This congestion drags opponents closer to each other and we believe we have the technical skills to get through this. This very different from widening the pitch creating space. Lets see if others are up for this game. Expect through balls through the middle, like De Paul for Messi in the first goal against Algeria.
3. France looks scary. If they would be scared of anyone having a ball is Messi. That’s the only time they will have fear of something. So lets see
We have a chance to make history here. Nothing guarantees anything, but I see this team have a structure and pattern emerging that people may not be prepared for.
VAMOS!
Looks like the line up for jordan is as follows:
4-4-2
Dibu
Tagliafico, otamendi, Senesi, Medina
Locelso, paredes, palacios, Paz
Alvarez, Lautaro
Argentina’s path to the final looks so good, they should make it and win the World Cup again, God willing.
People are just over panicked sometimes…..I mean com on this is not grp stage like if Capo Verde need to draw they will have to play 120 mins and don’t forget we will have Emi Martinez in penalty shootout…Argentina are clr favourites in this game…and we will win at least 2-0 inside 90 to 120 mins
I followed the entire CAF African qualification along side the CONMEBOL qualification.
Cabo Verde, as they like to be called…. Not cape, did not arrive to the mundial on accident. They played alot better during qualifiers than in their group stage. Of course the teams they played in qualifiers were not Uruguay and the like but each game was a different team and strategy…..
The Cabo Verde coach which is also Africa coach of year was brilliant enough to strategize and hold off the Spaniards.
During their qualifiers they did a great job of staying organized on defense and actually building attacks from the back.
They also can counter very well with speed, and like @eganche said they can park the bus on us.
We have scaloni and the strategy team to analyze this for us.
@mariokempes is 100 percent correct that there are no easy teams especially from here on out.
Let’s enjoy our last group game then talk about knockouts.
Cape Verde as the next opponent is great news. Of course we have to respect them, but they are overachievers and I don’t think them parking the bus is a huge issue. In South American qualifiers we often face teams that park the bus against us when playing in Argentina, Paraguay and Ecuador often do that and they are much more dangerous than Cape Verde.
We have multiple weapons to hurt them, Romero in the air, Messi free kicks, Molina long shots, even Flaco Lopez as a target man if needed.
Totally agree! Players like Mac Allister, Enzo, De Paul, Paredes, and Messi can easily score from long distance.
I would prefer Argentina play Uruguay than Cape Verde but only time will tell. I just don’t like teams that park the bus and Cape Verde has shown us they are good at it against Spain.
So according to you Uruguay play open football against big teams?? They park double decker bus against top teams and their could be tougher to break down than Cape Verde
Good points however they drew against Spain.
People are getting real carried away here. Cape Verde 🇨🇻 is a wonderful country but comparing them to 2014 Switzerland is wild. They’re completely two different countries in terms of footballing pedigree. Switzerland in 2014 was a seeded team and was 8th place in the FIFA rankings. The key is to respect your opponents don’t fear them..Uruguay did score two goals against Cape Verde so their defense is not unplayable.
Also, at the time when Argentina scheduled to play against Mauritania and Zambia I was wondering why these teams and not “better opponents,” now everything makes sense, it’s like Scaloni was preparing for this day.
2014 was a difficult path to the finale; Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Tough games, I believe these games took a toll on the overall team before playing against Germany
I actually think Argentina vs Cape Verde could be very different from what people expect. Cape Verde have already shown they can stay organized defensively, and in a knockout game they’ll probably be happy to sit deep, frustrate Argentina, and hope to take it to penalties.
We’ve seen this approach work before. In the 2014 World Cup, Switzerland’s manager Ottmar Hitzfeld openly said before facing Argentina that if they could reach penalties, they’d have a real chance. Argentina eventually won 1-0 in extra time, but Switzerland’s game plan was clearly to defend first and survive.
For underdogs, penalties aren’t a last resort—they’re often the best path to an upset. If Cape Verde stay compact, deny space between the lines, slow the tempo, and make it scrappy, they’ll feel they’re giving themselves a chance. Argentina will likely dominate possession, but breaking down a disciplined low block is often much harder than playing an open team.
There are no easy opponents in the Round of 16. At this stage, FIFA rankings and history count for very little. Every team leaves its reputation at the dressing-room door and gives everything on the pitch.
If we’re facing Cape Verde, we need to be at our absolute best.
One change I’d make is bringing Tagliafico into the starting XI in place of Medina. Medina has had a solid tournament overall, but there have been a few moments where he seemed caught flat-footed, allowing attackers to get above him. In the knockout rounds, those split-second lapses can be the difference between progressing and going home.
This is where experience and defensive awareness become priceless.
The game against Cape Verde will be tricky. Cape Verde defense is very structured and discipline; therefore, it will require Argentina to be clinical in front of goal. I am sure Argentina can or will create one or two chances and guys like Molina, Paredes, Enzo, McAllister, Messi with powerful shots will make a difference. The team is strong mentally to wait patiently for penalties if it comes down to that and Martinez will certainly be ready. The game might also turn out to be a goal feast if Argentina scores early, but we certainly know the team will not take Cape Verde lightly and we’ll be able to evaluate Argentina versus a formidable defensive opponent. I expect a very compact Cape Verde team ready to die on the field to prevent Argentina from scoring, but Argentina will certainly study the games Cape Verde played in the group stage to find weaknesses to defeat them.
Argentina will need width to stretch their defence.