It is the symbol of all the pressure that weighs on the shoulders of the Albiceleste in this 2022 World Cup. Cited among the favorites, Argentina, defending champion of the Copa America, had however completely missed its entry into the running , beaten by a very surprising team from Saudi Arabia led by Hervé Renard. This Saturday evening, it was necessary at all costs to get points to survive in this group C. Done but it was hard until the hour mark, and the almost divine intervention of their savior: a certain Lionel Messi . A shot from 20m, small net in the 64th minute and the whole Argentinian bench got up… Until it cracked an assistant coach Lionel Scaloni.
And not just anyone: Pablo Aimar, who has already worn the Albiceleste jersey 52 times. But the pressure was too much for the former Valencia midfielder. Scaloni’s deputy, his hands on his face, his breath almost gasping, and the tears welling up in his eyes… A very strong image of this Argentina-Mexico. Especially when you know that Pablo Aimar was the childhood hero of the sevenfold Ballon d’Or.
Scaloni in the same condition
Lionel Scaloni waited for the end of the match and Enzo Fernandez’s second goal in the 87th minute to let some emotions show, with tears in his eyes too. “I received a phone call from my brother who was crying. We play more than just a football match. Whenever you have to play a game like this, with the national team, it will always be like this. But it is difficult to make people understand that tomorrow the sun will rise, whether you win or not, ”explained the Albiceleste coach at a press conference. We will have to quickly recover from all these emotions since Argentina must seek their qualification in the last match, this Wednesday (8 p.m.) against Poland.
