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Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has explained how Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi has improved over recent years. He stated that the former Barcelona man has more maturity now and understands the game better.
Scaloni became manager of Albiceleste in 2018 following their disastrous World Cup campaign, in which they were knocked out by France in the Round of 16.
The 45-year-old will lead his side into the Qatar World Cup later this year in a group containing Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland. The South American giants will aim to become world champions for the first time since 1986.
Ahead of his team’s clash with Italy in Finalissima at Wembley on June 1, Scaloni spoke about Messi, telling the Copa America (as quoted by PSGtalk):
“He has improved a lot again. He understood the game, added a lot of maturity. Before he was impressive, he passed anyone and did what he wanted with the ball. Now he understands the game much better. Obviously, he is a year older every year like everyone else, but maturity is important and for him too.”
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 81 goals in 160 appearances for his country and will be competing in his fifth World Cup in Qatar. This could be the 34-year-old’s last chance to win international football’s biggest prize, having lost in the final in 2014 to Germany.
Lionel Messi reveals Covid-19 struggles during debut season with PSG
Following his free transfer from Barcelona the previous summer, Messi failed to live up to expectations, scoring just 11 goals in 34 games across competitions.
The diminutive attacker has since revealed that part of the reason behind his slow start was due to the long-lasting effects of Covid-19. He told Argentine outlet TyC Sports, per Marca:
“It left me with after-effects in my lungs. I came back and it was like a month and a half without even being able to run because my lungs were affected.”
Messi believes that he came back for Mauricio Pochettino’s side too early, as he added: “I came back before I should have, and it got worse because I went too fast and it ended up setting me back. But I couldn’t take it anymore, I wanted to run, to train. I wanted to get going. And in the end, it got worse.”
