After scoring the second goal for the Argentine national team against the Netherlands and receiving greetings from his teammates,
Lionel Messi
approached the rival substitute bench, stared at the Dutch coaching staff and glued the palms of his hands to their pavilions headphones.
The Topo Gigio model 2022, a revival of the original patented 21 years ago, was the bridge that united
Juan Román Riquelme
and Leo in a gestural battle with
Louis van Gaal
.
"I think he had declared something, right? Like that in the last World Cup he hadn't touched it or something like that... What is he going to do? There are things that can't happen in football:
maybe you can't make him angry
. It 's
It's preferable to hug him, kiss him. That he doesn't want to attack you, that he doesn't want to win. If you make him angry, it's worse. When the one who plays best gets angry, you have no chance of winning. How do you do it? It's impossible," said
Juan Román Riquelme
a month after the consecration of the
Scaloneta
in Qatar.
The Mole Gigio from Messi to Van Gaal.
Xinhua Photo/Cao Can
As Román considered in a sentence full of irony,
"Van Gaal's statement was very good for Argentina, because with Messi angry it is impossible to beat him, it is like that"
.
And he argued it: "Because Messi gets angry and he's not like other players, who have chances of getting sent off. There are players you make angry and they run the risk of getting sent off. Messi doesn't get angry like that, no He kicks, he doesn't do anything. He gets angry playing ball and that's the worst thing that can happen to you".
The vice president of Boca chose not to refer to the celebration that he immortalized on April 8, 2001, during a 3-0 victory for Boca in a Superclásico against River at La Bombonera, when he awarded the Topo Gigio to the then president of the Boca club. Ribera,
Mauricio Macri
, with whom the player had a very tense relationship.
The Mole Gigio de Riquelme.
Photo File Clarín
On the contrary, Riquelme continued to praise Messi in the interview he gave on the "90 Minutes" program (ESPN).
"
For those who like football, it was beautiful that Messi lifted the Cup
. It's something logical and not only the Argentines wanted that; I think that very few times in the history of football it happened that everyone agreed that he deserved to win the World Cup. That shows what he is", he stressed.
"I always answered the same thing when they asked me if Argentina was a favorite, years ago too: if Messi plays, Argentina is a favourite," he recalled.
He plays like the players from before, he likes to play ball, he doesn't play soccer, he plays ball like in the neighborhood
. He enjoys nothing more than playing soccer every three days, he doesn't hurt at all. Something might hurt to train but to play ball it doesn't hurt at all. So, that's wonderful".
Román also said that during the World Cup he communicated twice with Leo, with whom he speaks "from time to time" and maintains "a very good relationship": after the 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia in Argentina's debut and after the consecration, by beating France on penalties.
"I feel very happy that he has achieved it.
He knows very well that I love him very much
, although I don't bother him much," he remarked.
"I am already old, but (as a father) it was wonderful to see Agustín and Lola celebrate by painting their faces.
I want to thank all the boys for the joy they gave our children
and our relatives. It was beautiful to see all the Argentines celebrate", he completed.
The triumph of the Scaleneta and the memory of Malaysia '97
Riquelme with Pekerman and a group of the soccer players who played in the youth World Cup in Malaysia.
Photo File Clarín
Lionel Scaloni, Pablo Aimar, Walter Samuel and Juan Román Riquelme shared the squad of that Under 20 team that was champion in Malaysia in 1997. Twenty-five years later, the first three formed the coaching staff that won Argentina the World Cup after 36 years .
"It makes me very happy because we grew up together, they deserve everything and they are good people who love the Argentine shirt very much
," said the president of Boca.
"I have spoken with them, I have congratulated them and
I hope they stay for many more years
," Riquelme wished.
And he added: "I think they are not aware of what they have achieved yet. That is what I imagine every day, that they are not aware of what they have achieved. I think they spend a lot of time outside the country and that does not make you see the things in the way they live in our country".
look also
Riquelme, on the news of Boca: from "we know we want to play better" to "it would be a luxury to win the Copa Libertadores"
The amnesty for those suspended in Argentine soccer was approved: who will be able to play the first date of the Professional League?
