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Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has heaped praise on Lionel Messi for his sensational performance against Estonia in a friendly on Sunday.
The 34-year-old headed into the international break off a disappointing debut campaign with Ligue 1 giants PSG, scoring only 11 times across competitions. Messi, though, put his struggles behind him, helping Argentina win the Finalissima with a 3-0 win over Italy on June 1, providing two assists and creating four chances.
The former Barcelona star then left Scaloni stunned by scoring all five goals in Argentina's 5-0 victory over Estonia on Sunday. He opened the scoring in the eighth minute, converting a penalty, before adding a second in the 45th. Messi then scored thrice in 30 minutes in the second half.
Scaloni expressed his astonishment at the PSG forward's quality and professionalism. The 44-year-old compared his compatriot to tennis star Rafael Nadal, who won his 14th Roland Garros (22nd Grand Slam) title in Paris on Sunday.
"I don't know what else to say. It's very difficult; it's like Rafa Nadal, what are you going to say? It is preferable that the journalists speak, that they speak. You have no words left to describe it, and above all, for everything it generates," said Scaloni as per TVP.
He continued:
"He is something unique, and it is a pleasure to have him in this group. It is a pleasure to train him, the entire coaching staff. And it's a pleasure his behaviour and how he toasts to his shirt. We only have words of thanks. I don't think he's just the heritage of Argentina; he's the heritage of the world, of world football. The day he doesn't play anymore, we are going to miss him".
Lionel Messi's five-goal salvo against Estonia boosted his international goal tally to 86 in 114 appearances.
Lionel Messi to lead Argentina to their first FIFA World Cup title in 36 years?
Argentina are one of the favourites to win the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year. Lionel Scaloni's side will head into the tournament off their Copa America 2021 triumph last year, their first international trophy in nearly three decades.
La Albiceleste have now gone 33 games unbeaten across competitions with their victories over Italy and Estonia. They arguably possess one of the most balanced international rosters in the game at the moment.
They have often been heavily dependent on the brilliance of Messi in major tournaments, which is no longer the case. Scaloni's side now possesses many incredible players like Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybalo to complement the likes of Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria.
They also possess a world-class goalkeeper in Emiliano Martinez, who played a huge role in their Copa America triumph, and a defence comprising the experienced Nicolas Otamendi and the tenacious Cristian Romero.
With such a star-studded roster, Lionel Messi and co. will hope to end their 36-year wait for the FIFA World Cup title this winter.
