“Argentina are a funny team, but no disrespect” – Glenn Hoddle appears to suggest Lionel Messi and company may not win 2022 FIFA World Cup due to 2 players
Television pundit Glenn Hoddle recently said that Lionel Messi's Argentina might not win the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to the presence of two players.
Hoddle pointed out Nicolas Otamendi and Giovanni Lo Celso as the two players who might hinder Argentina's chances of lifting the World Cup.
Ironically, Lo Celso is not even a part of the Argentine squad for the tournament in Qatar as he is sidelined due to an injury. Hence, Hoddle made a mistake on that occasion.
Lo Celso is currently at Villareal on loan. He had a brief spell at Tottenham, playing 84 games for the club. However, he failed to impress Antonio Conte and was loaned out.
Argentina showed support for Gio Lo Celso who is missing the World Cup through injury 📸 https://t.co/6ZXLX4oMO7
Speaking on Michael Calvin's Football People Podcast, Hoddle said (via HITC):
“We’ve (England) got as much chance as anyone. France and Brazil will be favorites with a bit of Argentina, but Argentina are a funny team. But, no disrespect, they have players like Otamendi and players like Lo Celso, who can’t even get in the Tottenham team in their starting XI.”
Lionel Messi and Argentina will start their campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Saudi Arabia on 22 November. They will next play Mexico and Poland on 27 November and 1 December, respectively.
Luis Enrique backed Lionel Messi's Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Luis Enrique recently backed Lionel Messi's Argentina or Luis Suarez's Uruguay to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup if Spain don't win the tournament.
Enrique said on his Twitch stream (via Indian Express):
“If we don’t win it, I would like Argentina. It would be very unfair for a player of Messi’s stature to retire without a World Cup. Also Uruguay for Luis Suarez."
Image: Luis Enrique during the photoshoot of the Spanish national team. https://t.co/D9Dk78GkzC
Enrique's Spain will face Costa Rica, Germany and Japan in the group stages. The former Barcelona manager backed La Roja and said the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions are not afraid:
“I’m not worried about youth. Football has evolved, the young players have a lot of enthusiasm, the veteran players lead the group and the young players let themselves be led.
"Our aim is to finish top of the group. We already know who we would face in the last 16 and we would play someone from Brazil’s group in the semifinals, but who said we were afraid? Hopefully it’s Spain who will be the surprise, although for me it wouldn’t be a surprise."