Ángel Correa returned to Argentina this Sunday, coming from Spain, and confessed that he feels “a huge sadness for not being able to participate in the World Cup” in Qatar 2022, after being excluded from the list of 26 players confirmed on Friday by the Albiceleste team rider, Lionel Scaloni.

“I had the illusion of being able to participate. It was a big blow, but now a few days to rest with my family and friends,” said the 27-year-old from Rosario at Ezeiza airport, in statements to TyC Sport.

The former San Lorenzo striker also referred to the public words of encouragement addressed to him by Diego Simeone after the World Cup squad became official.

The Argentine coach of Atlético de Madrid, after knowing the list of the Argentine national team, said: “Keep fighting and keep fighting with those who have not had to be among the players who will participate because life is like that, it has things good and bad things and you have to get back up, be strong and show, first of all for them, what footballers they are.”

“He knows how I feel. He has played in three World Cups,” indicated the former San Lorenzo striker, who was called up permanently by Scaloni to the national team but was about to play in his first World Cup.

In parallel also Correa thanked Rodrigo De Paul and Nahuel Molina, teammates from Atlético de Madrid who will be in Qatar. “They are two great colleagues and friends. I have told them personally that I wish them all the best and I hope they break it”, expressed the author of one of the goals in Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory against Almazán, for the Copa del Rey, a match that marked the beginning of the World Cup break.

“I wish the boys and all the coaching staff all the best, they will without a doubt they will give their lives to represent the country in the best way”, underlined the attacker, without rancor. And he completed: “We will cheer until the end in every match”.

The reasons for his absence from Lionel Scaloni’s list

His defeat depended almost exclusively on the recovery of Paulo Dybala, who, in the opinion of the technical staff, will arrive well in the competition. If the Roma footballer doesn’t arrive in condition, Angelito would be on the list that the DT released on Friday at noon.

Correa made his debut for the national team in August 2015, having just turned 20. He had previously won a title with the Juveniles, that same year, being a figurehead of the South American sub-20 team that shone in Uruguay.

His tortuous childhood, full of deprivations and overcoming all kinds of difficulties, quickly made him one of the favorites of the Argentine fan, beyond the fact that it was in San Lorenzo that he made a name for himself in big football by winning, for example , the first Copa Libertadores in the club’s history, and quickly moved from there to Atlético de Madrid.

To the adversities that life gave him was added one that came from his own body: a heart condition which was taken over in 2014 and forced him to undergo surgery.

This year he had to have surgery again to fix the prosthesis that was inserted in that first surgery. She even kept silent about his condition in order to be able to participate in the Final against Italy.

“I’m happy to tell you that everything went well. Thank you all for the messages of support, they helped me stay positive. Now it’s time to rest and recover to come back stronger,” the Copa América champion wrote that day 2021 with the Argentina team.

In total, Correa played 22 games for Albiceleste and scored 3 goals. In the Scaloni cycle, despite being frequently quoted, he failed to create a space in the starting elevenin a side with fairly strong titles from midfield forward.

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