According to assistant Matias Manna, one of Argentina’s secrets when winning the 2022 World Cup is the support system behind the Lionel Messi.
“I’m always obsessed with seeing what Messi needs in the team. And Messi needs good midfielders, “said Manna, a video analyst at Argentina Urbana Play December 24. “The best squad we see, for me at the 2022 World Cup or now, is to put the good midfielders playing around Messi, and that is one of the secrets of this collective”.
Manna likens midfielders Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso as racing cars that know how to stop and accelerate perfectly. Thereby, they can best support Messi.
Enzo Fernandez (left) celebrated after Lionel Messi’s assist in Argentina’s victory over Mexico 2-0 in the 2022 World Cup group stage, in Qatar. Photo: AFP
Manna also revealed how Messi advises tactics for the coaching staff to Argentina won France in the 2022 World Cup final. When watching the semi-final video between France and Morocco, Messi realized right-back Jules Kounde was the weakness of the 2018 World Cup champion. Therefore, he suggested that Angel Di Maria kick the main left wing of Argentina.
“When we reviewed the match of France – Morocco, we saw Sofiane Boufal constantly passing Jules Kounde. Therefore, Messi told me that if Di Maria plays, he must play there. I think that is the most important decision in Argentine football history, “Manna added.
In the 2022 World Cup final, Di Maria himself earned a penalty for Messi to open the score in the 23rd minute and directly doubled the gap after 13 minutes. Since coach Lionel Scaloni withdrew Di Maria in the 64th minute, Argentina immediately lost the game. Minutes 80 Kylian Mbappe penalty shortens the score to 1-2, then the volley equalizes 2-2 then a minute. After two main innings, the two teams continued to chase. Messi raised the score to 3-2 in the 108th minute, but Mbappe took only 10 minutes to earn a second penalty and equalized 3-3. France even won if Kolo Muani did not hit goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the opposite phase in the 120th minute +3. After that, Argentina won the 4-2 rotation.
During the journey to conquer the World Cup, regular Scaloni coach gave the trio of midfielders De Paul, Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez the main kick behind Messi. De Paul has an interception role, while the remaining two midfielders distribute the attacking ball. After the World Cup, Ezno Fernandez joined Chelsea and became the most expensive player in English Premier League history. And Mac Allister marched for Liverpool.
Messi scored seven goals and tectonics three times at World Cup 2022. He became the best player of the tournament, and won this title for the second time, after the 2014 World Cup. After the World Cup, Messi won the FIFA Best Player title – The Best 2022 and the Golden Ball 2023.
