Argentina's historic FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar was a story of two Lionels as much as it was about the team who started as the favourites and went on to third title. Lionel Messi was the star who hogged the limelight on the field. Lionel Scaloni, the team's manager, was more than happy to play a central role without much spotlight on him.
However, after La Albiceleste emerged as the World Champions, Scaloni has been busy giving several interviews talking Argentina's moment of glory. In a recent interaction with the media, Scaloni has said that as per him Argentina captain Lionel Messi has surpassed the legendary Diego Maradona as the greatest player of all time.
"If I have to choose one I choose Leo, I have something special with him. He (Messi) is the best of all time although Maradona was also great," Scaloni told Spanish radio station Cope on Tuesday.
While reports suggest that most local Argentina fans used to rate Maradona above Messi, there is a gradual change in the public sentiment especially after Messi led the team to lift the World Cup in Doha, scoring a brace himself in the summit clash and winning the Golden Ball award.
You cannot correct Messi on a technical level: Scaloni
Meanwhile, Scaloni also disclosed that the first thing he did after being appointed the national team's coach in 2018 when Messi was keen on taking a break after an underwhelming performance in the FIFA World Cup in Russia was to talk to him and convince him to stay.
"The first thing we did was have a video call with Messi. He said he was honoured and the first thing we said to him was ‘Come back. We’ll wait for you’. That’s what we did and eight months later he came and found an incredible group," the 44-year-old said.
"Coaching Messi is not difficult. You cannot correct him on a technical level but sometimes you can instruct him to press or to attack in a certain way. When he smells blood he is the number one," he added.