Scaloni: “Argentina can match up against Europeans equally” | The Argentine coach speaks ahead of the match against Colombia.

The Argentine National Team is preparing its best players to face Colombia in matchday 16 of the South American Qualifiers. Following changes made against Chile the previous week, captain Lionel Messi will be starting at River Plate’s stadium.

“Leo (Messi) will start, and we hope the crowd enjoys a great show,” said coach Lionel Scaloni at the press conference. Messi did not start in Santiago and came on in the second half.

There is speculation that Messi may not complete the entire match because he will play again on Saturday with his team, Inter Miami, at the Club World Cup opening. The goal is to manage his physical exertion.

“Colombia is a good team and will complicate us. It’s a strong National Team, and any internal issues are their business; we focus on our opponents,” remarked the coach about Néstor Lorenzo’s team. He added, “They are a ‘top’ selection, really formidable due to the great players they have.”

Scaloni also discussed the importance of facing European rivals in preparation for the World Cup and acknowledged that “it’s always good to face the best. On a performance level, it’s different; it’s not crucial, but it’s beneficial to play against them.” After the qualifiers, Argentina has a confirmed match against Angola. The coach emphasized that “Argentina can compete on equal terms with Europeans. The team has balance and structure, and I don’t stop to think about whether we are the best in the world.”

The coach made it clear that the squad “is prepared to play without ‘Leo’ (Messi) or with him. It was more complex in the past, but the team functions the same now. That doesn’t mean we are in the best moment, but we do maintain a consistency.” “Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo,” Scaloni continued, “will stop being great when they retire. I congratulate Portugal and him on the title (Nations League). I would like Leo to be in the World Cup, but that will be his decision. There’s still time.”

The emergence of young players was another point the coach addressed: “There are many kids playing in important clubs and are in contention for a spot in the World Cup. Everyone deserves a chance. They contribute their skills, and we are excited about each one; the replacements we have are very interesting.” Regarding Franco Mastantuono in particular, he explained: “Real Madrid is huge, one of the best clubs in the world, but let’s not forget he is still 17 years old. If he continues like this, he will do very well; we must all help him. It’s very good for Argentine football that prestigious clubs integrate them, but it’s a pity for the local league that it can’t enjoy them.”

The head coach took time to reflect on whether he would change anything about his experiences leading the national team, confirming that he would have liked to be closer to his parents, but the profession he chose made that difficult.

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