Valdano: 'Not loving Messi is not loving football'

"Messi is showing the essence of football," Valdano said on TyC Sports on December 11. "He's connecting with the team, and showing personality, like Maradona at the World Cup. I fell in love with Messi from the first time I saw him play. He's been a genius for 20 years. Who doesn't love him? Messi, proves he doesn't love football."

Messi has made his mark on six goals at the 2022 World Cup, just one less than Kylian Mbappe. The Argentine captain both scored in two knockout rounds, something he could not do in the previous four periods.

Valdano also revealed that he is very excited about the development of the 2022 World Cup, and Argentina "has become an uncomfortable team, with many players showing personality, adapting to many situations".

Valdano was the Argentina international who scored in the 1986 World Cup final against West Germany, helping the team win the title in Mexico City. He played for Real Madrid at the end of his career from 1984 to 1987, and then led this club from 1994 to 1996.

Maradona not only played the best in the 1986 World Cup, but was also voted by FIFA as "the best player of the 20th century". He died on November 25, 2020 at the age of 60. Valdano said that "every Argentine player in 1986 fought for Maradona". He added that "the spirit of Maradona is present in the current Argentina team".

In the semi-finals, Argentina met the defending runner-up Croatia at Lusail Stadium on the evening of December 13. Valdano said that Croatia "has a game worth watching and is rich in experience".

Valdano spends most of his time playing and coaching in Spain, and he also explains the team's elimination in the 1/8 round. "Spain needs to review their football strategy," he said. "They don't have a lot of players who are willing to take risks in the opponent's half, just engrossed in passing the ball back and forth."