A challenge, from one world champion to another. Cesar Luis Menottihistorical coach of the Argentine National Team that won the 1978 World Cup, responded to Kylian Mbappé for his statements about Argentina and Brazil playing lower level matches to qualify for the World Cup than European teams. The Director of Selections of the AFA, in an interview with TyC Sports, criticized the Frenchman’s words and challenged him to “come to play Chacarita”.
When asked by the journalist Lucas Beltramo, who referred to the words of Mbappe, Menotti assured: “Isn’t it that they are one step behind? Tell Mbappe to come to play in Chacarita, to come to San Martín to play a game. They are things for the press. Soccer is soccer. The ball, the player and the people.”
Mbappe He had referred to the complexity of the Qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup and compared: “Argentina and Brazil do not play high-level matches to reach the World Cup. In South America, football is not as advanced as in Europe. And that’s why when you look at the last World Cups it’s always the Europeans who win”.
“I think Brazil is also a good team. There are several European teams as well… but the advantage we have here is that we always play high-level games, we have the Nations League for example. When we get to the World Cup, we’ll be ready.” , the French had added.
Other phrases of Menotti
The operation of the National Team: “I see it well, I’m happy. It is accompanied by what the National Team means, a project of a coaching staff that is aiming directly at a world championship. The first thing was to qualify. The National Team is already there Argentina for that and work is done to strengthen the affective relationship between the footballer, the coaching staff and the people as well. That gives everyone more strength”.
Preparation for the World Cup: “Yes, the first thing a team has to do is find and strengthen a relationship that begins with the acceptance of people who renew their dreams when they see a team that represents them. That is being achieved. The first objective is to be world champion and for that you have to qualify. Argentina is qualified and is preparing. All we do now is to strengthen the relationship of the group that represents the Argentine National Team”.
If Argentina is a candidate to win the World Cup: “These things are nice for the press, Argentina will always be a candidate. It doesn’t surprise me and I hope it continues to be that way because it means that they respect and recognize us. We have always been there as one of the footballing forces in the world. I’m happy because they deserve it, they are young players who deserve it and they have united above all affectively”.
Lionel Scaloni, Pablo Aimar, Walter Samuel and their experience as technicians: “They are people with a lot of experience, not in driving, but in their experiences, they are all men of the National Team. They have a commitment to learning. When he calls me the president of the AFA they did not have a contract, I met at my house. I have a very good emotional relationship with Pablito Aimar. They are very hard-working people, very serious, they never sell smoke. ”
Lionel Messi: “I see Messi happy because he has Di María, because he has some guys who are excellent people, great guys. There is no vanity, no one wants to be a figure, I am very happy as a football man, seeing a group of Kids who are united and who are going to give everything. We are not going to throw butter on the ceiling either. They are seriously fortifying themselves every day.”
The idea of the game: “This team represents me because of how it plays. This is like in music, if you are going to play tango and you don’t have bandoneons, you won’t convince me. If you are going to play football that represents an idea and you don’t put me bandoneons worries me, and here we are full of bandoneons”.
The possible relaxation before the long undefeated: “Relaxing they are not going to relax. The coaching staff is always present, even if they cannot have them, they are watching them, accompanying them, chatting. What makes me best is that it is a strong group, committed to a footballing idea. Each player who arrives is happier not having to watch where he is going, he already has a place, and that place is the one set by the coaching staff”.
Argentine players and their footprint in Europe: “Messi represents us, he is the one who manifests everything that Europeans saw from other great players. Argentina always had players to be respected, it had more than Brazil. If you review the history of European clubs You will see that the great Argentine figures were more than those of Brazil. Argentina has a free pass in Europe”.