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What's the story?
Argentina football coach Lionel Scaloni has claimed that younger players in the national team find it difficult to play alongside Lionel Messi because the Barcelona maestro's shadow is "too much" for them.
In case you didn't know...
Messi may have netted 65 goals during his 129 appearances for his country but his journey with the national team has not always been easy.
The 31-year-old is often criticised for his failure to replicate his successes at Barcelona with La Albiceleste. This has prompted a section of fans to undermine his club achievements and his frequently-debated 'greatest of all time' tag.
The Barcelona talisman returned to international duty this year after taking a long break following Argentina's early exit from the FIFA World Cup last summer.
The heart of the matter
Scaloni has opened up about the difficulties that came with Messi's presence in the team. However, he hopes that he will be able to utilise the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in an efficient way.
Speaking to TNT Sports (via Goal),
"The shadow of him which hangs over the pitch might be too much for some of the youngsters."
"We are always asking about him. In the matches he's played for the national team, it's very rare that he hasn't given his all."
"The best thing we can do is ask for everyone else to perform as they do for their clubs."
The manager added,
"We need to take advantage of the fact he's on the pitch with us."
"He's the greatest player of all time but on the pitch he needs to be just another person who helps us win."
"We need him on the ball. What we need to do if he drops deep is another player goes into his position in attack. Leo is a forward, creates assists and the closer he is to the goal the better."
What's next?
Scaloni's Argentina will take part in the first game of the 2019 Copa America against Colombia on June 15.
