Argentina captain Lionel Scaloni recently spoke about the FIFA The Best 2023 award.

Lionel Scaloni, coach of the Argentina National Team gave his opinion on the debate at FIFA The Best 2023 as his student Lionel Messi won the most prestigious award. Accordingly, the 45-year-old coach assured that “it would be worthy” if the award was given to Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe and emphasized that “fans voted” football”.

Sharing in a wide-ranging interview with Spanish news portal Marca , the 2022 World Cup winning captain said: “I think the debate goes beyond football. I don’t think there is a debate between player or coach about why Messi won it. If Haaland or Mbappe won the award it would be well deserved.”

Coach Lionel Scaloni said Haaland also deserved to win The Best. Photo: GETTY.Scaloni and the opportunity for Messi to play in the 2026 World Cup

Lionel Scaloni believes that Messi can play in the 2026 World Cup. This will be the sixth time the legend born in 1987 attends the biggest football festival on the planet and this will be an absolute record for a football player. stone:

“Today I tell you that there are players who played at that age, and in the case of Messi, I would not be surprised. But there are so many things missing, and football today passes time.” very quickly and when you realize that… I think so. On a physical level, I have no doubt, just on a mental level and it depends on what condition he is in” . Scaloni expressed.

Scaloni’s thoughts on the day Messi, Di Maria and Otamendi parted ways

During the interview, Lionel Scaloni was asked how he imagined the day Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and Nicols Otamendi – the team’s three iconic players – decided to end their time playing for the Argentine National Team. :

“When it’s over, everyone has to leave, Maradona leaves the Argentina team, Ruggeri leaves, great players leave and Argentina will continue. It will be heartbreaking because they are great players who have contributed a lot, but we have an obligation, because the Argentina team, more than having Leo Messi or Maradona, we have always been a strong team and it will be challenging for us to continue like that without them .”

“That’s where we have to aim, because at some point they will no longer be there, creating a team that can compete on equal terms with other players. We have to imagine that and set goals when they’re not there.”