Former Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli has opened up about La Albiceleste’s poor World Cup 2018 campaign and what starman Lionel Messi went through emotionally.
The two-time World Cup winners were dumped out of the tournament by France in the last-16, with captain and talisman Messi registering just a single goal in the showpiece (against Nigeria) and generally looking underwhelmed, working under Sampaoli’s much criticised tactics.
Unsurprisingly, the former Sevilla boss was axed after the event in Russia, and while a permanent replacement has not yet been found, Messi is still on a break from international football and not set to return until next year, according to reports.
However, Sampaoli has nothing but praise for Messi – with the 58-year-old hailing the Barcelona star’s greatness.
“It was amazing, especially to see him so committed and suffering a lot when he didn’t win. The best player in history was very committed. Leo suffered like none other and it hurt him as if he had not been able to succeed in a group,” he said in an interview published by Marca.
“Having the best in the world in your team forces you to a maximum demand and the rest must be at his height. But sometimes you can, and sometimes you cannot. In that fight we were every day. Having Leo, forces you to have no margin for error when it comes to winning.”
Sampaoli – who is now unattached – believes Argentina can go on to win the Copa America in Brazil next summer and challenge for the next World Cup in 2022, with Messi at their disposal.
“Of course yes (Argentina can win with Messi), but this needs a process, for everything that has happened up to now and you don’t break the process; you correct it.
“For the next World Cup or Copa America you need organisation, unlimited confidence and knowing that everything requires a process. If you don’t win the Copa America, you have to keep the process, not break it. Enough of this madness that if you do not ‘win’, ‘you’ are a loser. It’s not like that: if you believe, you can win even later. But you have to believe.”
