Argentina’s Scaloni: Messi will be the best as long as he wants to be

A muscle strain threatened to derail Messi’s tournament, but his coach says he’s still world’s best player.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he is not surprised by ⁠Lionel Messi’s physical ⁠condition at ۳۹, reiterating that he believes the captain will remain the best player in the world for as long as he chooses to ⁠keep playing.

Messi has been instrumental in Argentina’s World Cup campaign, scoring eight goals in five matches to sit just behind France’s Kylian Mbappe – who has played a game more – in the Golden Boot race.

The diminutive forward also inspired a dramatic ۳-۲ comeback victory over Egypt in ⁠the round of ۱۶, and is now the leading scorer in World Cup history, with ۲۱ goals across his career.

Against the North Africans, the Argentinian talisman netted once and provided an assist to Cristian Romero after his side trailed ۲-۰ with ۱۱ minutes remaining.

The Inter Miami forward arrived ‌at his sixth World Cup with questions over his fitness after recently recovering from a muscle strain.

“Leo runs more or less the same in every match,” Scaloni told reporters on Friday. “Physically, it’s true that he has done preparation work with his fitness coach, and it has paid off, but in terms of numbers, I don’t know if he has changed that much.”

“What is clear is that he’s giving everything he has. When he ⁠gives everything he has and senses that he can create ⁠danger, he is a machine,” the coach added.

Messi’s numbers at the tournament could be even better had he not missed two penalties – against Egypt and Austria – but Scaloni said he would not take spot-kick duties away from his inspirational captain.

“It wouldn’t even cross my mind to go and tell him not to [take the next penalty]. Let him do whatever he wants,” Scaloni said. “We have players who can take them, but he’ll take it if he wants to, and if not, that’s up to him. Let him do whatever he wants out on the pitch.”

Scaloni said those expecting age to catch up with Messi did not know the player well enough.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said.

“Maybe people who don’t know him expected ⁠that at ۳۹ he wouldn’t be at this level, but I don’t know how many times I’ve said it: as ⁠long as he wants to, he will be the ⁠best. I think that, and not because I’m his coach.”

Argentina face Switzerland in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Kansas City. Scaloni praised their opponents, who reached the last eight for the first time in ۷۲ years ‌after eliminating Colombia on penalties following a goalless draw.

“There are no easy rivals, we all know that,” Scaloni said.

“They are a very good team. They compete with the ‌best ‌national teams and always come through. They may win or lose, but they always compete. They have World Cup tradition, experienced players and are physically strong.”

If Argentina beat Switzerland, they would face England or Norway in the semifinals.