rgentina coach Lionel Scaloni refused to rule out the prospect of Lionel Messi main their defence of the World Cup within the 2026 after he impressed them to a 3rd title in Qatar.
After scoring twice within the dramatic win over France on penalties, Messi stated he wouldn’t retire from worldwide soccer, however earlier than the ultimate he insisted this might be his fifth and closing World Cup. Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot and scored in extra-time as Argentina and France drew 3-3 over 120 minutes in one of many nice World Cup finals on the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
The ahead might be 39 in 4 years’ time, when Argentina will go to the USA, Mexico and Canada because the holders, however Scaloni is open to the opportunity of his captain nonetheless being a part of the squad.
“To start with, we have to save him a spot for the subsequent World Cup in 2026,” Scaloni stated. “If he desires to maintain taking part in, he’ll be with us. He’s greater than entitled to determine if he desires to maintain taking part in for Argentina or not, or what he desires to do along with his profession.
“It’s such an enormous pleasure for us to teach him and his teammates. All the things that he transmits to his teammates is unparalleled, one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than. A participant and one who provides a lot to his teammates.”
After changing from the spot after Angel Di Maria was fouled, Messi was concerned within the excellent transfer for the winger to make it 2-0 earlier than half-time.
However Argentina have been pegged again by Kylian Mbappe’s double inside 97 seconds to take the sport to extra-time.
Messi scored once more to place La Albiceleste on the cusp on victory however Mbappe scored a memorable hat-trick along with his second penalty of the match to arrange spot-kicks. Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed from the spot as Argentina received 4-2 on penalties.
“The match was fully insane,” stated Scaloni.
“We ought to have received it in 90 minutes or in extra-time. We have been fighters, we have been very robust regardless of the targets from France we conceded. We didn’t deserve the draw, we stored combating on. It was an analogous match to the sport in opposition to the Netherlands [in the quarter-final]. We stored combating.”
Scaloni added: “These gamers play for his or her individuals, the Argentinian followers.
“There are not any rivalries. Everyone seems to be pulling in the identical route for his or her nation. That is the best satisfaction if you’re taking part in in your nation. The gamers broke their again, achieved this title as a result of they understood what they needed to do on the pitch. We’re very blissful and proud. At present we’re world champions and though it went to penalties we deserved to win.”
It was Argentina’s first title because the late Diego Maradona impressed them to glory in Mexico in 1986 and Scaloni lamented that the legendary ahead just isn’t nonetheless round to benefit from the event.
“I’m positive if he was right here he’d have loved a lot and been the primary one on the pitch,” Scaloni stated. “I want he was right here to get pleasure from this second.”
