With the 35-year-old Messi getting no younger, the questions continue to pour in about his future with the national team.
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Several supporters feared that Lionel Messi would hang his international boots after the Qatar World Cup. And when Argentina lifted the World Cup in scintillating fashion against France in the final, some believed they have seen the last of Messi in the national team jersey. However, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has put to bed those rumours and has continued to represent his national team. He is part of the squad for the upcoming friendlies against Panama and Curacao.
With the 35-year-old Messi getting no younger, the questions continue to pour in about his future with the national team. Reacting to it, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni, as quoted by goal.com, said at a press conference, “Messi will continue to come until he says otherwise. I see him happy on the pitch and within the selection. Leo’s looking good to me. He deserves all that love. He and all the players who are here deserve to go out and receive that love because they have not been able to live it.”
For now, Argentina’s focus turns to the upcoming double friendlies against Panama and Curacao. Scaloni only has one message for his players, as he wants them to keep working hard and not become complacent. “We are world champions, but that doesn’t mean we have the right for more,” he stated. “Just because we win we can’t do whatever we want. That’s what [the players] have to understand. The message is that a new process is beginning: the pitch is what rules. From there on, those who are world champions have no advantage, we will have to keep working.”
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Promising young French centre-forward Randal Kolo Muani could have been the unlikely hero at the Qatar World Cup final. With the scores level at 3-3, he was racing towards goal with barely few minutes left. However, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez brilliantly denied the striker from finding the back of the net. The game then went to penalties, which was won by Argentina. Kolo Muani said it is a miss which he will never forget.
“It could have changed my life. I would have preferred to put it in the background, like everyone else, like all French people, but it happened and these are the vagaries of life,” he told L’Equipe. “This action makes me want to work in front of goal. I’m working and I think I’m making progress. It will give me the courage to move on and to put it in next time. I want to move on, but it’s part of my job, it’s not as if I’m sad. I’m just not going to forget it, we were very close to bringing back the third star. I’m not going to lie, I hate it.”
