New Delhi: Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni feels that six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi doesn’t need to win a title to prove that he is the greatest footballer. Messi, who has won every title in club competition with Barcelona, have not won any major tournament in Argentine colours. The 34-year-old has often criticized for his international trophy drought, however some claims that he didn’t get ample support from his teammates in past.
In the past, Messi took his team to the final of World Cup 2014, Copa America tournaments in 2015 and 2016, with his exemplary performances but suffers failures in the summit clash.
On Sunday, Messi once again has a chance to end his title drought with Argentina with the 2021 Copa America final against Brazil.
Scaloni said that win or lose Messi is still the greatest footballer of all time.
“Win or lose he is still the greatest footballer of all time, he doesn’t need to win a title to prove it,” Scaloni told reporters. “Obviously we want to win for ourselves, for our people and for all of us who have been together so many days concentrating on not breaking the bubble and creating contagions.
“It’s a final and everybody knows what this means. You don’t have to keep repeating this to players. On the other hand, as we have seen over the last year and a half, football at the end of the day is sometimes secondary. It is 90 minutes that are important but they know that after that the life goes on.”
Argentina and Brazil are considered amongst the most fierce rivals in international football. In the last Copa America, Brazil eliminated Messi’s Argentina in the semifinal, however, Scaloni said that he doesn’t believe in revenge.
“I don’t believe in revenge, I believe in the work we’ve done, and the project we have here,” Scaloni said. “For sure, tomorrow it will come to a conclusion, this is a final. We are playing our eternal rival and I hope it is a good game and that people can enjoy it. The world will no doubt stop to watch but there is no revenge,” he added.