Armani, world champion in River’s preseason: “When Messi speaks, you want to go eat your rival”

The world champions continue to celebrate their conquest on December 18 in Qatar after beating France in an unforgettable final. Each has already returned to their respective clubs and this time they were FrancoArmani who mattered how he experienced the conquest and shared the details of campus intimacy.

After returning to River Plate where he is already training with new coach Martín Demichelis, the goalkeeper recalled how he lived the World Cup matches and praised the role of the Argentine fans. “I am very grateful to the people for their constant support, they made us feel that unconditional support in Qatar. You went to the stadium to warm up and people supported it, it was almost always full of Argentines. You could feel it, the team gave 100% for everyone who was in the stadium and for everyone who was in Argentina”.he underlined.

Also, in an interview with TyC Sports, he recalled the welcome in the country where millions of fans came to receive the bus carrying the champions. “They have been very nice, since we left the airport, when people were on the streets… That joy and happiness of the Argentine people was incredible. People have been waiting for this cup for many years and thank God they managed to get it. Then the next day, off the property to the Obelisk, which was what we had planned, and there was a world of people all along the highway, people hanging off bridges,” he said.

Of course, realizing what it means to be a world champion is something that could have come to everyone at a different time and Armani confessed that it was right in the middle of the celebrations when he realized what he had achieved. . “One fell right there from what he had achieved, what it meant to people. The reception in Argentina has been something very beautiful, it is something that will remain with each of us forever, “she acknowledged.

The speeches of Messi and Scaloni

Lionel Scaloni was able to find a way to reach the world champion squad that started the first match by losing against Saudi Arabia and closed his participation in Qatar by lifting the most coveted trophy. Recalling how the speech for the final was, Armani said: “The last speech I remember from Scaloni, on the eve of the final, he told us to have fun, that we like being in the final because this type of match is not played every day. May we remember our beginnings, when we started playing, that boy who left everything to play on the neighborhood fields”.

Of course, not only has Scaloni been a key figure in motivating the team in various circumstances, but Messi has shown on more than one occasion how much the captain’s ribbon fits him perfectly. “Leo has that characteristic, the same as before the Copa América final, that video that later went viral with his speech. Here too it was similar before the match against France, with motivational words referring to everyone’s family. That touch you inside, touch your heart and make you go out on the pitch to eat everything up, to override your opponent”he concluded.

More quotes from Armani

His return to the River: “I returned to the group and I noticed it very well, working in the best possible way, with very intense work that will help us a lot in this preseason for the start of the tournament. We have to keep working and training, refining things for the start of the tournament. We have three friendlies that will help us a lot for filming.”

About Demichelis: “He’s a coach with clear ideas, he’s thought through very carefully what he wants for River this year. He orders very intense and demanding jobs, short but with a lot of pace. It’s kind of what the team I created at the time had inside the field that I have played in recent years: intensity, ball possession, good game… it is a continuation of what we have done, I found myself with a technical staff of excellent people, very open to everything”.

The selection process: “It took four years, a lot of players passed, mostly at the beginning. The coach was looking for this team. After the 2019 Cup, Scaloni found a group. There he started forming it, from there he kept a base in every call-up. If you look closely, almost always the same players arrived, from there something important began to consolidate. Then, grateful to all the Argentine people, it is very gratifying to see the stadium full, pushing forward. In every corner “In the country there were people celebrating: this keeps you alive. We have gone through difficult times in the country and seeing that we have made so many Argentines happy is very gratifying.”

His relationship with Dibu Martínez and the rest of the national team goalkeepers: “Before each match we analyzed the opponent, the forwards, the possible substitutions, the penalties, all with the goalkeeping coach showing us the videos. We knew everything, how they defined the forwards and the penalties. And then we trained: the boys kicked and we were in goal, taking it seriously, it could happen in recent times and both Rulli and I have constantly supported Dibu”.

“If we saw something we told him and he took it in a completely natural way. We formed a very nice group, we had confidence, everyone could talk and give his thoughts. Everything was studied. Dibu’s gestures are natural to him, he didn’t share them. It’s something that comes to him right now.

Learn more about Dibu: “By sharing everyday life and training with him, helping him, sharing an opinion with him… In that match where we won (against the Netherlands) I was going to go and hug him. I really appreciate him, he’s a great guy . My first intention was to hug him. He is my arch mate, we shared a lot of time together. I felt great affection for him. It was special because he also hugged me, we walked by hugs for a long time. It is a memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”