Argentina Suffered “A Very Hard Blow”, Admitted Its Captain Lionel Messi, After The Debacle Against Saudi.
Messi
After this historic poor performance, the “Albiceleste” locker room is “devastated”, assured the seven-time Ballon d’Or.
They fell from above. Cited among the favorites to lift the World Cup, on December 18, at the Lusail stadium, the Argentines got stuck on Tuesday, November 22, when they entered the running in Qatar. The Albiceleste suffered one of the most humiliating routs in their history, knocked out by Saudi Arabia (1-2). “A historic defeat” which stunned the Argentine press. “The national team was engulfed in a sandstorm,” commented the daily La Nación. “Argentina has lost more than a match,” assured Olé, judging that it is “the worst way” to start a World Cup.
Stunning media, and “devastated” players, according to Lionel Messi. Passing through the mixed zone, the Argentine captain held nothing back from the press when talking about this slap. “There are no excuses,” he assured. Asked how this debacle was experienced in the locker room, he said that the group was “stunned”. “It’s a very hard blow, we didn’t expect to start like this,” he admitted. “It hurts a lot,” agreed Lautaro Martinez, who saw his goal disallowed by the VAR (28th).
The Match Slips Away From Us In No Time
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni
Messi
However, Argentina had started its adventure in this World Cup perfectly, with a quick goal from Lionel Messi from the penalty spot (10th, sp). But, while the mass seemed to be said, the Albiceleste players, unable to make the break, got lost in the Qatari desert. “The goal scored quickly harmed us, it misled us,” analyzed the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who launched into a self-criticism of his selection. “We knew that it could happen not to play in the best way in the first game. We did not find the game, the functioning that we had shown for a long time. And, as the minutes went by, with a contrary result, things are getting harder and harder.”
An observation shared by Lionel Scaloni, who spoke of “a sad day” for Argentina. “At the break, we thought the game was weird, that a goal could change everything. And that’s what happened. (The players) are all very affected, but are already thinking about reversing the situation. Everyone called us favorites before the match, but we know that this kind of thing can happen in a World Cup. Sometimes you can be infinitely superior, but in one goal, your dynamic changes completely “, detailed the coach. “The match escapes us in no time, without realizing it, we are at 2-1.”
Lionel Messi, Captain Of The Argentina Team
“It’s a defeat that hurts,” repeated Lionel Messi, who called for sacred union around the Albiceleste. “(We have to be) more united than ever. This group, as it has already shown in the past, is strong and now it has to be more than ever. It’s a situation that we have never had to live, it had been a long time since we had had to go through such a hard blow”, explained the Argentine number 10, whose selection had not tasted defeat for 36 games and a semi-final of the Copa America lost against Brazil (2-0), July 2, 2019. “We will have to show that we are a real group.”
World Cup 2022: Messi’s Argentina is surprised by daring Saudis
Messi
“Let people have confidence, that this group will not disappoint them,” he said. “Now it’s time to turn the page and think about beating Mexico to put us at ease (Saturday, November 26, at 8 p.m. live on TF1 and live commentary on TF1info). We said we had come to win every game. Well, now we have to do that.”
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