Jorge Valdano, 1986 World Cup winner with Argentina alongside Diego Armando Maradona, has had his say on the 2022 triumph of which Lionel Messi was the centrepiece.
The Argentinian beat France 4-2 on penalties having drawn 3-3 over the 120 minutes of football in which Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick.
Speaking whilst on Cadena COPE, Valdano had some interesting observations on the game and the team’s legacy.
“I experienced the game with more tension than in ’86 because when you play, you release, but yesterday it was a tremendous tension, when you just watch, it builds,” Valdano said.
Diego Armando Maradona or Leo Messi?
Valdano, who shared a dressing room with Maradona, discussed the similarities and differences between Maradona and Messi.
“The similarity between Maradona and Messi is that they are both geniuses. The difference is that in Mexico 86, Diego was in his physical prime (26 years old) and Leo is 35 years old and he had to bring out his genius and wisdom,” Valdano said.
Valdano also revealed that when he spoke to Messi before the tournament, he had a very interesting exchange with the PSG man.
“When I interviewed him before the World Cup, off camera I told him that he was going to play five World Cups and that no footballer had played six; he told me that it was impossible and he said to me ‘if I am World Champion I will keep my shirt on until the next World Cup’.
“We’ll see if Messi is capable. Football has shown that it is practically impossible to play six World Cups,” Valdano reflected.
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