Enzo Fernández spoke about his winning mentality, lifting up his team mates, Lionel Scaloni and Emiliano Martínez.

Fernández gave an interview which we have translated where he spoke about Lionel Messi and how he found out that he was going to be at the World Cup with the Argentina national team. In the same interview with Diario Ole, Enzo spoke about his relationship with the coach Lionel Scaloni and what Scaloni told him. Here is what he had to say:

“I never really had the chance to speak with him face to face but I did have talks with the whole coaching staff and he was present. He always reassured us and told us to be prepared because we could all play.”

On if he never spoke with Scaloni alone even when he was named as a starter:

(Enzo smiles)

“No, never, hehe. I found out that I was going to be a starter during the technical talk. Many times, the day before a match, he would put together a team but we never knew if it was the one that was going to play. We would find out in the pre-match talk.”

If that would take off some of the pressure for a player:

“In my case, it was something normal. Maybe because I was used to it because at River, Marcelo (Gallardo) would do the same.”

What happened when he found out he was starting against Poland:

“Uff. Anxiety, nervousness, everything… If that doesn’t happen to you, it’s that you are not truly a football player, hehe. The first thing that happened when I saw my name there was I was anxious to go out and play. It’s very beautiful the hours before a match.

“I prepared my entire life to play football and I took it as something natural. Playing a World Cup is part of football and I try to enjoy it because if you don’t, it’s much more difficult. I was thinking that when I would have the chance, I would enjoy it to the maximum.”

On if he was always someone confident:

“Yes, since I always enjoyed playing football since I was a kid. I live the moment, I try to do my best but that it’s natural. No pressure or something like that.”

If he enjoyed every moment of the World Cup, even when France drew level in the final:

“If I tell you the truth, you won’t believe me but yes. The truth is yes. It’s more, I was confident that we would become champions that I started lifting up my team mates. I saw Nico (Otamendi) who was maybe a little down because he gave the foul for the penalty and I told him:

“Nico, that’s it. It’s now. We are playing now. They tied us, it doesn’t matter. We are going to win it. It’s about enjoying the present and besides, I was always confident that we were going to be champions.”

About how Dibu (Emiliano Martínez) told him to kick his penalty down the middle against the Netherlands but he didn’t listen:

(Enzo smiles)

“The day before we had been practicing and I always kicked it to the left, where I missed, but I had hit them all. I wasn’t going to change if I hit them all. And he got angry because I didn’t listen to him, hehe. Dibu’s a good guy. We get along very well and he has a beautiful madness to him, hehe.”

If Dibu is unbearable as an opponent or as a team mate:

“Both, he is unbearable every day. He’s crazy, an idiot/fool (boludo). But if you have him against you, it’s worse, hehe. For me, what he does is something natural. But maybe in Europe or other parts of the world, they don’t like it.”

Enzo Fernández gave a lengthy interview with Diario Ole and the 22 year old spoke about where he was and how his reaction was upon finding out that he was called up for the World Cup and sharing a room with Julián Álvarez.

Fernández had commented on when he first met Lionel Messi and his goal against Mexico at the World Cup. In the same interview, Enzo spoke about getting called up to the World Cup and Lionel Messi praising himself and Thiago Almada:

“Yes, more than a year went by. In my head, I thought that I would not get called because the World Cup was coming… But then I got the opportunity to go on the tour, I did things very well and the coaching staff gave me a chanec to be at the World Cup.

“Leo surprised me (his praise) and I was lucky to be able to thank him because every time he spoke about me, it was good.”

On how it was when he found out he was going to the World Cup:

“I remember it was a Saturday afternoon, I was taking a nap in Lisbon and I couldn’t sleep because I was very anxious because there was a week left until they would give the list (for the World Cup). Ah, the truth is, at that moment, I hadn’t slept for about two weeks, hehe. And at the moment, I got an audio from Matías Mana (part of Lionel Scaloni’s coaching staff) and when I heard it, I started to cry.

“I couldn’t believe it, I stayed like 20 minutes, crying alone. After I left the room, my wife was on the sofa with my daughter and when I told her, we hugged and cried together. It was a very special moment because I prepared for this my entire career… Every kid dreams about playing a World Cup and even more so winning it.

“But in addition, three months before I started to prepare myself physically and psychologically in case it was my turn… And in the end it was a dream.”

On if he was confident in himself that he was going to be called, that he was preparing even three months prior:

“Yes, I was confident in myself and I knew that if I had the opportunity, I was going to take advantage of it. I was tlaking a lot with Nico Otamendi, who was my team mate at Benfica and he told me to prepare, that I could be there. He helped me a lot, he advised me and he motivated me…”

On how he prepared:

“I was very anxious about what was going to happen and I have a coach who helps me a lot in that. What I prepared the most was enjoying the moment, not letting a lot of things go by, moments with the family and living in the present. If I am having mates with the family, to enjoy that moment, not to think of what is going to happen after…”

On if he was confident that at the World Cup, he would play as much as he did:

“If I wasn’t picked, I would have supported my team mates. But when you are there, obviously you want to play. And even more a World Cup! I always had that calmness that I was going to have the opportunity, that the coaching staff picked me for a reason and I was confident in myself that when I would get the chance, I would do the best I can…”

How he shared a room with Julián Álvarez, someone he knew from River Plate”

“Yes, I remember that we had barely opened the door to our rooms, I looked at him and said: “It’s crazy, look where we are… We are going to play a World Cup!” It was incredible that we were together at River and we were in Qatar, the two young players at 21 or 22 years old, living a dream. Being able to represent Argentina is priceless.

“It was incredible that in such little time, with only a three year career, I was there to play a World Cup. It was all crazy.”

Enzo Fernández spoke about meeting Lionel Messi and his goal at the World Cup.

Fernández has become an undisputed member of the Argentina national team. Named the World Cup’s best player, Enzo received his first call-up for Argentina at 20 years of age.

The midfielder gave an interview to Diario Ole where he spoke about meeting Lionel Messi. Here is what he had to say about his first Argentina call-up:

“I was 20 years old, it was my first call up. I was nervous, scared and very anxious… A lot of feelings. I had always dreamed of having a picture with Leo, so I went and asked him for one because I didn’t know if I would get called back and I wanted to have it to keep it and show it to my family.”

He also commented about his goal vs. Mexico at the World Cup:

“He (Lionel Messi) wanted us to play there, in the corner because there were three or four minutes until the end of the match. But when he gave it to me, I had space in the middle. I had planned to face the defender and cross, but when I dribbled, the defender opened up and I had space to shoot the ball.”