Scaloni hails Messi’s brilliance after World Cup treble
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has praised captain Lionel Messi after the veteran forward inspired his side to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening Group J match of the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, June 17, 2026.
Messi struck three times during the encounter, matching Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring tally of 16 goals. The Argentine legend also made history by becoming the first footballer to participate in six World Cup tournaments as Argentina launched its title-defense campaign in style.
You might also like
Reflecting on Messi’s latest achievement, Scaloni admitted that the 39-year-old continues to leave both teammates and coaches in awe.
Scaloni’s sentiments
“It’s hard to explain,” Scaloni told reporters. “We’re still amazed by him, even though we see him every day. He’s been the best for 20 years and he still delivers in every match.”
“You don’t have to be an Argentina fan to admire what he’s done at his age.”
The Argentina boss noted that Messi’s value to the squad goes far beyond his contributions on the field, emphasizing the positive energy and inspiration he brings to the dressing room.
“I could stay here talking about him for an hour, but you have to be there to understand the atmosphere he creates,” Scaloni said. “One day it [his career] will come to an end, so we have to enjoy it while we can.”
Adjusting approach
Scaloni also commended his players for adjusting their approach during a difficult opening half in which Algeria’s aggressive play and quick transitions created several challenges.
“Algeria caused us problems today,” Scaloni said. “They counterattacked and we had to do the same. That’s not usually our trademark, but we managed to do it and come through.”
Despite the convincing victory, the Argentine coach stressed the importance of remaining focused and avoiding overconfidence as the tournament progresses.
Argentina’s next assignment will be against Austria at Dallas Stadium on Monday before they return to the same venue to face Jordan on June 27.
“This team knows that anyone can beat us,” he said. “If we do what we have to do and play the way we did today, it will be difficult for other teams to beat us.”
