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Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has spoken about Lionel Messi ahead of Copa America 2021 that begins next month.
Lionel Messi will lead his country in what could well be his last Copa America. The forward has never won the tournament and will be desperate to finally lay his hands on the coveted trophy.
Scaloni spoke to Argentinian outlet Ole about Lionel Messi and the mentality of his captain heading into the tournament. He said,
"I assure you that he is the one with the most blood, the one who wants to win the most, the one who is most sick when he loses, I have no doubts. You can say so many things, but honestly we talk to the coaching staff and sometimes it's impressive how they do things naturally. The hat has to be taken off. Everything he has generated and generates, what he is and what he has done, is not only because he plays football well, but because of who he is as a person."
He continued:
"How many years have you been at the highest level and how many mistakes have you made? I do not know. It is impressive how well it is doing. He's a guy who when he comes home everyone wants to take a picture of him, he always has to have a nice face, be available, and 99% of the time he is. It is to be valued. It is the first that when the coach needs a hand, there is. He has always tried to do what the coach says, I have nothing to say about that. But on a human level he has our support because that's where it makes the difference.
Argentina first face Chile and Colombia in their 2022 World Cup Qualifiers before kicking off their Copa America campaign against Chile once again on the 14th of June.
Copa America 2021 potentially the penultimate tournament for Lionel Messi with Argentina
Earlier this month, Scaloni was asked whether the tournament will be Lionel Messi's last Copa America with Argentina. He said:
"It will be when he wants it to be. and the day that he does not play with Argentina anymore, we will realize a lot of things. The same thing that happened with Diego (Maradona), that when he stopped playing, we realized what it was to have him on the pitch."
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