“He [Lionel Messi] Will Not Solve All Problems”- Argentina’s WC Winning Captain Spots Big Difference Under Lionel Scaloni’s Coaching

Lionel Scaloni is no less than a saviour for Argentina. The 45-year-old coach pulled a rabbit out of the hat by leading La Albiceleste to a World Cup triumph in Qatar. While there’s no denying it was a collective team effort, a former Argentinian World Cup-winning skipper has praised Scaloni’s brain for surrounding Lionel Messi with ‘the best he could have found.’

1978 FIFA World Cup winner and Argentinian icon Mario Kempes recently shared his thoughts on the impact of Lionel Scaloni on Messi and his other national teammates. Speaking to TR Sports, he said, “He surrounded the best in the world [Lionel Messi] with the best he could have found. Before Scaloni, it was Messi with the Argentina national team. Now it’s not; it’s the national team plus Messi. They understood that he’s the best, but he [Lionel Messi] will not solve all your problems.”

The legendary Valencia centre-forward insists that only Messi isn’t accountable for any of Argentina’s failures. Kempes believes that Scaloni and Messi’s teammates took responsibility, which eventually took the pressure off La Pulga’s shoulders. This significant change in mentality is also the reason Argentina managed to lift the 2021 Copa America and the prestigious World Cup a year later. 

2024 presents another chance for Scaloni and Co. to rally for another piece of silverware, as the impending Copa America awaits them. They have been drawn into Group A alongside Peru, Chile, Canada and Trinidad & Tobago. Surely, they will be looking to ace this installment of the CONCACAF tournament. Speaking of which, we can expect a changed Argentina for the 2024 Copa America.

Lionel Scaloni and Messi will make changes to the 2024 Argentina squad

In order to defend their title, Argentina hopes to create their best team, yet again, under manager Lionel Scaloni in the months leading up to the Copa America 2024. However, reshuffling the roster presents a dilemma, as moving and adding players  to the lineup is always a difficult decision. Yet, it is suggested that certain players may need to be excluded to elevate the team’s performance to the highest levels.

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The 45-year-old will sit down with captain Lionel Messi to choose the perfect squad. While speculating that it could be necessary to bench some players to maximise the team’s potential, Scaloni underlined the toughness of the choices that lie ahead. He also stressed that the decisions won’t be easy, ‘neither in soccer nor in the emotional aspect.’ Whatever it may be, these are some crucial months lined up for Argentina.

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