César Menotti: “Messi can play quietly next World Cup”

The General Director of AFA National Teams, César Menotti, who also lifted the World Cup as coach in 1978, got rid of praise for Argentine star Lionel Messi and anticipated that he will be able to play the next World Cup with the Argentine National Team “Physically, technically and by age, Messi can play quietly the next World Cup, Because he is very healthy, he trains and takes care of himself a lot. He is spotless, he had no injuries. He lived football with a lot of respect for his health. If I were 36 years old and it was him, you know how I play until I am 40!”, said the current head of football of the AFA in an interview with Super Deportivo Radio.In this sense, he added: “Then we will have to see his mood, out there he wants to enjoy his freedom a little more”, in reference to his arrival at Inter Miami, where Leo seeks to “get out of focus” and enjoy his family more. On the other hand, he regretted the frustrated arrival of Leo to Barcelona, where he was going to be directed by Xavi Hernández. “It would have been very attractive to see Xavi managing Messi, who were teammates,” he said. Messi, wherever he goes, will always have freedom of action, even if he does not win, he always plays well. I never saw him play or regular. It’s easier to be Messi than not to be, not because of everything around him, but because of how happy he is to do what you love and do it like he did,” he continued. Meanwhile, he referred to the other idol from Rosario, Ángel Di María: “He deserves the same recognition as Messi, Maradona and Kempes. For me he is at the height of the best player in the world that you want to compare. For me he is the player who has represented Argentine football like no one else in all the places he played,” he said. Finally, he confessed: “When I saw him world champion I had more joy for him than for me”, and concluded: “When Di María returns to Rosario Central, let him keep me an audience because I’m going to be there, burst the stadium if he says goodbye there. I would be very happy to see him again even if it’s a game with the Central shirt.” 

Original source in Spanish