Lionel Scaloni, coach of Argentina’s national team, was asked about his preferences between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, as well as his top picks of current players. Check out his answers.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has weighed in on the eternal debate between two of the greatest players of all time: Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi? In an interview with Spanish journalist Siro Lopez, he shared his thoughts on the matter.
When asked about Messi and Maradona’s comparisons, Scaloni said: “If I have to choose, of course, I’m going to choose Leo because I’ve seen him, I know what he is, but everyone can have their own opinion.”
The 46-year-old coach explained that he doesn’t think it’s worth comparing them. “Now, comparing them is pointless. It’s pointless to compare because I think what we need to do is enjoy them, look at what they’ve done, and I’m convinced that either of them could have played in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s, and now in 2025.”
Scaloni further explained that, while some people seemed to believe that Messi wasn’t a leader as Maradona, he has shown in different ways. “Not everyone is the same. Football-wise, they’re both geniuses. In terms of personality, they’re different. But in their own way, they’re both leaders. Leo shows it differently,” he said.
He pointed out the 2021 Copa America final, in which Messi played with a muscle issue. “He came into the locker room, got massaged by the physio, and went out to play as if nothing was wrong. That’s a leader,” he said.
Scaloni chooses Top 3 of best current players
However, despite his deep admiration for Messi, Scaloni decided to leave him out when asked about his picks for the best current top three players in the world. “No, we’re not putting Leo in because otherwise it gets tiring already,” he explained about his omission.
So, who are his picks? “Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and, it could be one of ours [from Argentina], Julian Alvarez or Lautaro Martinez,” Scaloni revealed, while he didn’t elaborate further on his choices.
As the European season is coming to an end, some of this players are still in contention for titles. Lautaro Martinez will play the Champions League final with Inter against PSG, while Yamal’s Barcelona is close to clinching LaLiga.
From: bolavip.com
