World Cup 2022: Why Lionel Messi is Argentina’s 'true leader' now - Pablo Zabaleta

Nothing is done for Argentina oregon Lionel Messi yet.

There was truthful overmuch unit connected america aft we mislaid to Saudi Arabia and that alleviation was for everyone - for the full squad and each our fans here, but particularly for Messi.

It would person been a unspeakable and achy extremity to spot Argentina eliminated successful the radical signifier successful what is astir apt his past World Cup.

We are not successful the past 16 yet, though. Now we person to triumph again - this clip against Poland - to beryllium definite we marque it.

It won't beryllium easy, and the squad inactive needs to amended a lot, but hopefully we person immoderate assurance aft beating Mexico.

And we ever person Messi, of course. We person relied connected him truthful galore times successful the past, and we cognize we tin trust connected him again successful Qatar.

It volition hard for america to spell acold successful this tournament, we cognize that. But astatine slightest we tin imagination astir this Argentina squad again - and that is due to the fact that of him.

'I cognize however overmuch the World Cup means to Messi'

I was determination astatine the commencement of Messi's travel with Argentina and I anticipation truthful overmuch that helium tin decorativeness it by lifting this World Cup.

From the archetypal clip I saw him interaction the shot astatine the archetypal grooming league we had unneurotic for the under-20 team, I knew helium was going to beryllium a precise peculiar player.

Of course, we had heard astir Messi astatine Barcelona earlier we met him, but that was the archetypal clip helium came to play for Argentina. He did not accidental overmuch then, but we gave him a monolithic lukewarm invited to the squad and rapidly realised conscionable however bully helium was.

He came with america to the 2005 Under-20 World Cup successful the Netherlands erstwhile helium was 17. I was Argentina skipper and we won the tourney unneurotic - well, it was mostly down to him!

As good arsenic winning the 2005 Under-20 World Cup, Zabaleta and Messi won Olympic golden unneurotic with Argentina astatine Beijing successful 2008

I consciousness truthful fortunate to person been a portion of his generation; to person enjoyed watching and playing alongside him and to person shared truthful galore moments with him, arsenic a team-mate and arsenic a friend.

I cognize the sacrifices helium has made and the hard times helium has been through. Don't forget, helium was lone 13 erstwhile helium moved to Spain.

I besides had to permission Argentina astatine a young property to advancement my vocation - astir of our players bash - and I cognize however pugnacious it was for maine to adapt. But I was 20 erstwhile I joined Seville whereas helium was conscionable a young boy.

I americium truthful arrogant of everything helium has done with his beingness since then, but I besides cognize however overmuch it means for him to correspond Argentina, and however severely helium wants to assistance the top trophy successful shot with us.

It's ever the same: Messi has to triumph the World Cup

There is simply a batch of emotion for Messi backmost location now, but it has not ever been this way.

After we mislaid the World Cup last successful 2014, we mislaid 2 different finals - the Copa America successful 2015 and 2016.

In Argentina that is not enough. For immoderate radical and for parts of our media, conscionable reaching a last is not acceptable. There was a batch of disapproval of Messi due to the fact that we had not won everything similar helium was doing with Barcelona astatine the time.

He gave up aft that and took a interruption from the nationalist squad to recharge, but helium rapidly realised however important it was to him.

Messi has won everything determination is to triumph successful nine football, but helium was hopeless to travel backmost and assistance america triumph thing too. So it was astonishing to spot him winning his archetypal large trophy astatine planetary level, astatine the Copa America past year.

We won it by beating Brazil successful the Maracana, which was thing precise special, and I loved however everyone ran to Messi astatine the last whistle to hug him.

That triumph took the unit disconnected him a small bit, and stopped radical saying helium did not play for america the mode helium played for his nine - but inactive still radical expect truthful overmuch from him astatine a World Cup.

It is similar helium has to triumph - always. Nothing other is acceptable.

So, I cognize it tin beryllium a pugnacious clip for him mentally astatine these tournaments, which is wherefore it is important helium has the close radical astir him to assistance him relax.

• 'Where determination is Messi, determination is anticipation for Argentina'

Argentina observe aft winning the 2021 Copa America. It was Messi's archetypal elder planetary tourney victory, astatine the property of 34.

What has changed? Messi has matured

At the 2018 World Cup, I was a pundit for the BBC successful Russia and, adjacent from a distance, I could spot Messi looked stressed, which was a existent worry. The squad was not successful a bully spot and we were knocked retired aboriginal on.

It was wholly antithetic successful 2014 erstwhile I was with him successful the Argentina squad that reached the last successful Brazil. He was starring the team, and helium was loving it.

Before this tourney started, I heard Leo accidental determination are similarities betwixt the feelings helium had past and the ambiance successful the squad now. That is simply a truly bully motion due to the fact that it means determination is the aforesaid togetherness, and besides that helium is happy.

When I spot pictures of the dressing country now, I spot a batch of amusive happening, similar determination was successful my day. But determination is 1 large difference: Messi himself.

The pictures of him giving an inspirational code to the squad earlier the 2021 Copa America last were thing radical had ne'er seen before, and showed helium besides present has enactment qualities to instrumentality this squad into thing big.

When Messi talks, everyone listens. It was the aforesaid successful 2014 - but helium was ever a spot quiescent and didn't accidental a batch then.

He was our skipper but Javier Mascherano truly took that relation connected instead, due to the fact that of his acquisition and his character. He was the 1 who was precise vocal successful the dressing room, getting america acceptable earlier games.

Now, it is Messi himself who does that. He is not conscionable our champion player, helium is the existent person of the squad - adjacent manager Lionel Scaloni has said that himself galore times - and helium volition beryllium helping them done this hard commencement successful that mode too, not conscionable by scoring goals.

It is large to see. It has been a agelong travel for him to this moment. Of course, everyone tin alteration disconnected the tract and larn antithetic things. Messi now, astatine 35, is much mature, helium has much acquisition and helium is simply a household antheral - but helium is inactive an astonishing footballer too.

If helium does triumph this World Cup past helium should conscionable discontinue consecutive distant due to the fact that helium volition person achieved everything possible. There volition beryllium thing near for him to win.

Pablo Zabaleta was speaking to Chris Bevan successful Doha, Qatar

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