Argentina rally around 'competitive animal' Messi ahead of World Cup opener
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri, June 15 : Lionel Messi may not have faced the media but dominated a chunk of Argentina's press conferences ahead of their World Cup opener, with coach Lionel Scaloni and defender Nicolas Otamendi underlining his importance.
The 38-year-old captain is set to play a record sixth World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and both coach and teammates made clear his influence remains undiminished as the reigning champions prepare to face Algeria on Tuesday.
"Not only Argentines, we believe everyone wants to see him on the pitch, wants to see him play," Scaloni told reporters on Monday, confirming the forward has recovered from a recent muscle strain and is expected to be in the starting lineup.
Messi was left on the bench during Argentina's 2-0 win over Honduras in a friendly on June 6, but came in as a substitute in their 3-0 victory against Iceland last week, scoring one of their goals from the penalty spot.
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Scaloni dismissed any suggestion the Inter Miami player's presence could be a burden for the South American side, saying that his impact never waned as he played under different physical conditions over the years.
"He has always been there, and he has always been fundamental for us. And now even more so," the coach said.
Long-time teammate Otamendi, also approaching what is expected to be his final World Cup, reflected on their shared journey - which included the title at Qatar 2022 - and described Messi as "the best player in history".
"We have lived many beautiful moments together," the 38-year-old said.
"He is a simple person who enjoys training camps and practices, and prepares himself for that. He is also a competitive animal. That pushes you to keep trying, not to relax, to try to be alongside him, to support him and help him."
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