The reigning World Cup champions are just one game away from repeating history. And it looks like the biggest motivation for Argentina to dominate every rival coming their way is Lionel Messi. The 39-year-old legend may be playing his last World Cup, and the Argentinian players are going all-out to ensure the best farewell for their skipper. Giuliano Simeone shared an honest view about the team’s outlook towards Messi.
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“Honestly, this touches me deeply… Leo, he is 39, and he’s achieved everything any player could dream of, yet he still competes at the highest level… For that reason, all that’s left for us is to give everything we’ve got for him. To run for him. To run for all the Argentinians,” The Touchline quoted Simeone.
Well, the respect towards Messi is mutual. Earlier in their careers, when Messi and Simeone shared the pitch in an Argentina friendly against Chile, Messi took the time to personally mentor the young forward. He advised Giuliano to “be calm, to take a little more time in the area because I was always going to find someone free to assist,” advice that Giuliano credits with dramatically elevating his own play at the club level. Now that Simeone is representing the national team in the World Cup, there’s no one better than Messi to motivate the young brigade.
This is not the first time that Simeone has talked about Lionel Messi. “There’s not much left to say about him; he really is the best in the world, the best of all time, and he keeps proving it,” Simeone said back in June. “It’s incredible. I see it day to day: how he trains, how he takes care of himself. Everything he does is impressive, and he has a special kind of magic.”
‘LM10’ is also proving the rookies right. At 39 years old, he has tallied 8 goals and multiple assists in this World Cup. This included two late assists in a dramatic 2-1 semifinal comeback win over England. According to FIFA’s tracking data, Messi is covering around 64% of his distance at a walking pace. This allows him to save his bursts of speed and genius for crucial moments, rather than burning out.
The skipper is leading from the front, and it’s showing in the team’s performance on the field. A consecutive World Cup win would be the best farewell for the legend. Simeone and the rest of the Argentine squad are trying to make sure the fairytale ending comes to fruition on July 19 against Spain in what could be Messi’s last World Cup final.
