"Details will make champions and not necessarily the team that plays best" - Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni says big favorites usually never win ahead of 2022 FIFA World Cup opener
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said that the so-called favorites rarely win the tournament ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Albicelestes are one of the massive favorites to lift the holy grail in Qatar. However, Scaloni doesn't want to give too much importance to those claims.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, he said (via Mundo Albicelste):
“The big favorites never win the World Cups. I think that a lot of big nations, great teams, at least eight of them can win this World Cup. The majority are Europeans. It’s what happened in the last years."
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He continued:
"I think that South American teams couldn’t reach the finals, even in 2014 we did and Argentina maybe could have done a bit better. The rest are just details. And I think this World Cup will be the same. Details will make champions and not necessarily the team that plays the best."
He further added:
“Yesterday, Ecuador won very well. It’s a national team of a very high level. Everytime I played, I said the same thing. The rest will have a hard time and I am not surprised that they won. That is not to say that Qatar is a bad team."
Scaloni concluded:
"England is a candidate but I don’t say that the Arab teams are a step below. You have to prove to be superior, the game has an emotional aspect, the important thing is to move forward beyond how. Logically, we have our way of playing and we will try not to change it.”
Argentina will take on Saudi Arabia in their opening Group C fixture of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on November 22.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi looking to enjoy possible last FIFA World Cup
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has said he is looking forward to what might be his last FIFA World Cup. Speaking to reporters, the 35-year-old said (via NDTV):
"It is probably my last World Cup, my last chance to land this great dream that we all have, I don't know if this is my happiest moment, but I feel great. I'm older, more mature, I want to make the most of everything, to live it with the maximum intensity and to enjoy every moment that I have."
Messi: “This World Cup is very special for me. Probably the last one to try and achieve my dream.”
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He further continued:
"Today I'm enjoying everything much more. Before I didn't think about that. Age makes you see things differently and makes the little details more important: those that before you didn't give much importance to."