Juan Román Riquelme on Lionel Messi’s World Cup with Argentina

1. This Argentina hate has been too toxic and has diluted love for the beautiful game. Am considering not following club football in Europe this season. The weird hateful propaganda pushed by UK, Argentina haters and and Cr7 fans is unforgivable. Netherlands had a more disgraceful final vs Spain but no one talks about it. Portugal vs Netherlands 2006 R016 was the dirtiest match up; instead media and bloggers choose to amplify their hateful narratives against Lionel Messi and Argentina and on top of that fueling political narratives labelling NT as Zionists. That’s the most disgraceful thing. Those spreading hate campaign need to be blacklisted for good.

2. Messi this Messi that, can we move on from the Messi Era pls, Sometimes its too much, He is one of the greatest to ever play football period, that’s it. But he cant play forever.

   In the Final we were literally playing with 8 outfield players, when one red card happened, Red Card will happen again for sure, But we cant face a situation like this ever again. That too in a Damn WC final.

3. Messi reach to every thing that he wants and now he must retire from national team

   • We have 2 years without tournament games. Now it’s time to introduce our next No.10. Tomas Aranda from Boca is among competitors here. Let’s give him more minutes as he already was given a few before WC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtJTNlkwgkA

     • We have a lot of talented, young 10/enganches the problem is the lack of end product so far, dont forget about Montoro the guy is crazy technically, an absolute joy to watch but no end product, Aranda the same, Echeverri same and a lot more. Nico Paz the only one with some end product but still not on Dybala’s level not talking about Messi. We have no real superstar now but maybe the team could work with 3 10-type midfielders/wingers at the same time, start with Prestianni/Almada/Aranda—Paz/Echeverri/Montoro—Mastantuono/Soule/Buonanotte (based on pure talent, not on current form or playing time). Thats the argentine way.

       • Agree with all your thoughts here. Montoro agree. Buonanotte agree. Love the two. I’m more sceptic to Mastantuono as he is so much predictible in his driblibg, always trying cut to the midddle to find the left foot. For this reason IMO we should try with 5 midfielders formation (wingers included). Few creative, rather short No.10 at the same time. Kinda crowd them together, as you’ve said. However Prestianni should start anyway because of his pace he could give us one the left side, pace that the other lacks.

         …………LoCelso/Enzo…..Barco
         Paz/Soule……Aranda/Montoro…….Prestianni

         • https://youtu.be/0ybawjDJrHc?is=arCscA0wyMbA5dpI

           Check this maybe my favourite talent but he plays like a 35 years old playmaker, all about flair. Dont know his speed would be enough for top football really, maybe in Pedri’s position cause he works a lot, defend well, super technical with great dribbling ability but not really explosive or fast. Prestianni, Echeverri, Aranda or Almada are much quicker than Montoro.

         • Yes, I expected him to be our star in 2025 youth WC. But the injury. Then came Subiabre but finally Prestianni turn out to be the star. He probably needs to boost physical strengths.

       • Alvarez
         Prestianni-Paz-Maher Carrizo

         This is what I would love for NT..Hopefully these 3 explode before 2030 WC.

         • If we stick to 433
           Barco-Enzo-Mastantuono midfield is the one I see now. I think Mastantuono can replace DePaul and Barco can replace Mac Allister in Scaloni’s 433.

         • In fact, Maher Carrizo might be interesting choice as RF. Prefer him over Mastantuono. Carrizo, Prestianni, Montoro, Delgado, Silvetti – these are silver medalist U-20 WC crop I’d like to see soon being picked up by Scaloni.

       • Milton Delgado – Paredes – Aranda made up midfield for Boca in the league first round yesterday.

       • Montoro/Aranda -really similar. Classic No.10/AM/CM.Play them, rotate them, give them space for some free thinking initiative behind strikers

4. https://youtu.be/xKr_E2goASE?si=ABh0GlQSoGzYbCqt
   Mateo del Blanco debut for French club Strasbourg
   Our future left back
   Looks very promising
   Need to call up this type of player
   Attacking left back like doain cucurrule

   • He , medina , oso, solar should step up.

     But sadly we dont have any good right back still. No club showed interest in giay still.
     Idk if scaloni give capaldo any chance. But pls no too molina unless he gets back his udinese form.

     • You should include Simon Escobar. He already got one call up.

       • Young and yes he can be a good LB too.
         But sadly we dont have any good Right back on the rader.

         • At the moment Augustin giay should be given chance.
           Simon Escobar is very good attacking fullback…

5. https://youtu.be/B8jr6cQaBh8?si=ORoMbX7IyUV_vR1C
   Gianluca Prestianni two goal yesterday against belenenses.
   Must be regular for our new project…

   • Absolutely. Should take the left wing.

   • Soule and prestiani are our future. Hoping garnacho to perform for villa.
     One player i would regret is Facundo Buonatte who ruined his career moving into chelsea. Hopefully Barco and aaron anselmino dont do the same.

     Alejo Sarco is another waste of talent . Leverkusen ruined him -_- as he moved to la liga 2 .

6. Lionel Messi shud have been awarded the Golden Ball instead of Rodri. He scored a hattrick, mesmerized the world with his skills, turned around losing matches to victories & completed 6 world cups wth 21 goals, surely better than Rodri, who didn’t score any goal at all compared to Messi’s 8. Just an outstanding midfielder, Rodri?

   Fifa overlooked this – should re-award the prize to Lionel. At least, they shud also overlook the post match brawl then, for this mistake. Field altercations are probly caused by verbal provocations, not unsportsmanhip.

   I think Messi will retire frm international matches coz he’s won all the top trophies so no more need to toil or achieve anymore trophy..

   Scaloni too had achieved Copa & WC successes, he might want to pass the baton to next coach.. He may not be blamed for this Wc tactics & result coz the team may have lost in this inaugural, too long, 48 team, extra 1 match tournament. The players were already exhausted or injured by the time they reach the final. 64 teams even unplayable.

   Fifa also might overlooked Emi as rightful Golden Glove winner, made 11 saves in the final alone.
   In yet another game analysis, he was deemed man of the match heh:
   http://www.sofascore.com/news/spain-1-0-argentina-aet-martinez-9-6-sofascore-rating

7. Thinking Gianluca Prestianni is material for real crack while watching him yesterday against Belenenses. 2 goals and real engine not only on the left wing. But he is most obvious choice exactly on our attacking left flank.

   ………………………Dibu
   ……………..Romero….Balerdi
   Giay……………………………………Tagliafico/Simon Escobar
   ………Lo Celso/Enzo…….Barco
   Soule…………….Paz……………..Prestianni
   …………………Alvarez

   • Matantuno must
     Row talent

     • as subs:
       Aranda
       Maher Carrizo
       Garnacho
       Del Blanco
       Silvetti
       Mastantuono
       Almada
       Licha
       Milton Delgado
       Lautaro
       Senesi

8. For Messi theme imo he can stay till Copa 28 but just a 60 minutes player maximum or even more a supersub (best sub player itw easily). Rest him in fckin group stages to prolonge his fitness level and form. So a supersub in Copa group stages (20-30 minutes per match) and 3 KO matches as a starter? But against most physical teams still a supersub (Ecuador, Columbia, Uruguay) building the whole team still around 40+ Messi is a huge mistake, build a new team in the WCQ without Messi with young players (no risk absolutely now) and use him this way. Not accaptable the whole team compensate his non existance pressing and off the ball anymore.

   Messi presence means a lot for the teammates so this seems the best solution, but stop relying on a 40 years old player and maximize his impact wo overusing.

   • If Messi is unable to let his ego go like Pendu rather retire now.

   • Messi presence is not boosting the team anymore. Maybe, more when he is coming in second half as sub. You can compare the two games qualifiers vs Brazil. The first one (with Messi) was not a good one TBH. Brazil dominated. While the second one was masterpiece. What you see there is absolutely balanced team without this Messicentric swerve that usually possess creative imagination of our players if only he is there.

     • ban this gaynaldo c$ks$ker

       • I take this as kinda Freudian slip. Seriously now you are exposing yourself as someone way too deeply embedded in Messi-Ronaldo rivalry hence probably prioritizing it over what’s best for Argentina.

9. Most succesful teams since World Cup 78:

   1. Argentina 3 trophies/6 finals
   2. Germany 2/5
   3. France 2/4
   4. Italy 2/3 (better than Brazil cause last final was later)
   5. Brazil 2/3
   6. Spain 2/2
   7. Netherland 0/2
   8. Croatia 0/1
   …
   Clowns: England 0/0+Portugal 0/0.

   Argentina simply league on its own in modern football.

   • This is the picture of last 50 years of WC.

   • I think it’s better to start counting from the 1970s. That marks the beginning of the post Total Football era and the end of the Jules Rimet Trophy era. Starting from 1978 feels too convenient and cherry picked just to make our stats look superior. Beginning in the 1970s is a much fairer and more consistent point of comparison.

10. “Mac Allister and the others keep looking for him because he creates magic almost every time he touches the ball”.
    “He didn’t score in the last three games because he was given virtually no chances”.

    Doesn’t looks like 2 sentences to be conciliated with each other. If he creates magic almost every time why he need to be served with the ball like a striker (the “no chances”). Why he didn’t created the chances by himself? 10 year ago he could do that. But not now. Tons of failed driblings and misplaced passes is not magic. He definitely is not player for next tournaments. Clearly in descending mode, just like Maradona. Gold in 1986, poor final silver 4 years later and catastrophe in 1994. If he will stubbornly do this against “vis maior” he will fall badly. Clear signs from heaven were given to him this time “it’s time to leave with honor”, on highest level while being fairly dethroned. It’s time for someone new on this position.

    • Just admit you’re a Ronaldo fan and spare me this nonsense debate.

      There’s no contradiction between saying Mac Allister and the other Argentina players were looking for Messi and saying Messi couldn’t get the ball against Spain.

      Against Spain, Argentina’s midfield couldn’t get the ball to Messi in any meaningful position where he could even create half a chance. Mac Allister and the rest barely had the opportunity to find anyone, let alone Messi. The whole team struggled to string together three consecutive passes.

      Messi had 0 goals and 1 assist at the 2010 World Cup, and only 1 goal at the 2018 World Cup.

      2026 was his best World Cup tournament ever. If you think he deserves to retire after this performance, then by that logic he should have retired 16 years ago after 2010, and again after 2018..

      You need to stop talking nonsense and give the GOAT a break. He carried this team to yet another final they had no business reaching.

      And Argentina won’t reach another final after Messi for next half a century, Just as they didn’t reach one for 30 years after Maradona. Yet here you are talking trash about the two GOATs who did so much for Argentine football.

      What did your so called young Argentina players achieve without Messi or Maradona between 1990 and 2014?

      • Exactly, Messi scored 8 goals at 39, thats the highest he scored in world up co pared to earlier tournaments.

      • Messi vs England was the dream performance of many Cr7 fans.
        And against spain leo was marked by 2-3 players. We beat england with an avg team only because of leo messi’s cross. Against spain we kept cleansheet almost for 105 mins . Spain studied our weakness and blocked messi who was our heart in the game. So we lost mainly. And what can we do ? We didnt have a gd winger and RB.

        If leo wants to retire , I have no regret. He is signing off with the best he could give for the team.
        And yes i wont be disappointed if Messi considers that game was his last match.

11. Not many transfers to Europe this summer but here are the few completed.
    Mikel Amondarain, 21, DM from Estudiantes to Bologna.
    Exequiel Zeballos, 24, LW, from Boca to Napoli.
    Mateo Del Blanco, 23, LB from Union to Strasbourg.
    Milton Delgado, 21, CM from Boca to Trabzonspor, Turkey.
    Two interesting local transfers.
    Tobias Andrada, 19, CM from Vélez to River.
    David Romero, 22, striker from Tigre to Boca.

    • Delgado going to Turkey is not best choice but still closer to Italy or Spain. Have an eye on him. Amondarain – sounds like armenian roots?

    • No Right back or right winger still

12. @Maksym Optymus

    – He didn’t run 6 km, he ran 10 km against Spain. He’s averaging around 8 km per match, which is a good number for a player playing up front.

    – Mac Allister and the others keep looking for him because he creates magic almost every time he touches the ball.

    – He didn’t score in the last three games because he was given virtually no chances. If you think Messi is only about scoring, you’re clueless. His performance against England was one of the greatest World Cup performances of all time. Against Spain, Argentina’s midfield couldn’t do anything. That’s not Messi’s fault. They couldn’t progress the ball or even get it to his feet.

    – He was part of a shameful performance, but it’s hardly his fault. Our midfielders and Scaloni’s pragmatic tactics were far more responsible.

    – Why are you obsessed with the numbers if the performances are still great? It doesn’t matter if Messi is 40 as long as he still plays like Messi.

    – That Brazil team was one of the worst in their history, so beating them doesn’t prove much. Without Messi, we wouldn’t even have made it out of the group.

    – People want him to stay because he’s still, by far, our best player.

    If you have such a problem with Messi still playing for Argentina, then you can leave. He earned the right to continue with the World Cup he had.

Comments are closed.