“I’m in the dream place for any Argentine,” said an emotional Scaloni, on the brink of a world final

Lionel Scaloni says he and his coaching staff “radiate enthusiasm”. It seems the best he allows himself to praise himself. Despite the fact that once again the tactical approach has been a clear success, says Scaloni half jokingly and half seriously “if I’m wrong they fix it”referring to their players.

And his first comment, having secured a ticket to the final, at the press conference was that the 3-0 defeat by Croatia “might be overdone”. Nobody asked him.

They tell him that he made history, together with César Menotti, Carlos Bilardo and Alejandro Sabella, who also brought Argentina to the ends of the world. “I can’t compare myself to people who have done so much for the national team,” he replies.

Ask for a draw and return a draw Lionel Scaloni.

“We played the game we had to play. We understood that we had to play it like this, they had good control in the centre. Then they opened with a penalty. We deserved to win, I don’t know if it was that so widely. In the end I felt that a step, which is a moment to enjoy, but enough, to think about what’s to come”, he says to start the dialogue with journalists.

That dramatic image of the Argentine coach embracing his eldest son, full of tears, after the victory against the Netherlands, had now become a family photo, almost after dinner. On one step of the stalls also Scaloni, Ian and Thiago, their little ones, and Elisa Montero, his wife.

“I am in the dream place for any Argentinian. When you play for your national team, or play for your country, it’s impossible not to do what these guys do. It’s going hand in hand with the people, there’s no other way. We lost against Arabia and we feel the support of the people. We all shoot in the same direction, all blue and white fans. I just tell them to celebrate, Argentina is on the football pedestal, celebrate and we’ll think about Sunday,” he added.

For Sunday, at noon in Argentina, a protagonist is missing. France, world champions, or Morocco, the surprise?

“Who do I prefer for the final? I don’t know, I never think about it. They’re two great teams, we’ll see which team gets through. Is Messi the best in history? I’ve already said it several times, it’s exciting to see him, a privilege directing it, I proved it once again. There is no doubt that Messi is the best in history.”

Messi had a glorious performance, aged 35. Scaloni went back to the details: “It’s a pity that sooner or later his career ends. You have to enjoy it, because it’s a jewel”.

Speaking of Messi, they point out that a few minutes earlier, in the same chair, the captain had said that the coaching staff leaves no detail to chance. They ask Scaloni to complete the praise, not even on an assist from Messi he does. “The coaching staff radiates enthusiasm, we’ve experienced very strong things in the national team, so there’s a lot to share, it’s positive. You also saw them in Croatia, with former national team players, I think it’s very nice. Our coaching staff lives for the national team. Perhaps for those who are not Argentines it is difficult to understand, but that’s how it is, this is how this coaching staff lives it.”he said, referring to Roberto Ayala, Pablo Aimar and Walter Samuel, his closest circle of advisers.

Is the team more heart than game or more game than heart?, they ask. “Football is one, this is it, when you have to put your heart into it, and when the game allows you to play well, you play wellAlso sometimes it’s time to defend… I don’t know, football is everything. That’s what this team has,” she explained.

“There’s no need to motivate the players, they already know what’s at stake in every game. It’s been like this since the first game. It fills us with pride to be in the final. These players deserve everything, the people deserve everything too” , has already said in the mixed zone. Nor did he praise himself in front of the microphones of TyC Sports.

Lusail, Qatar. Special delivery.