Argentine coach commented on Messi: It is no longer the only dependence, teamwork is more important

Argentina national team head coach Leonel Scaloni revealed that the team has mastered the strategy of dealing with the game without Leonel Messi, and even if the International Miami striker Messi is not in the team, the lineup does not need to change significantly. Since his debut in 2005, Messi has contributed 112 goals to the Argentina national team in 192 international games, helping the team win the 2022 World Cup, two Cups of America championships and the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medal. The 37-year-old captain missed Argentina's 1-0 victory over Uruguay in March this year and a 4-1 victory over his rival Brazil due to injury. Despite this, Scaloni's team still qualifies for the 2026 World Cup in advance. Messi returned to the national team this month and came on as a substitute in Argentina's 1-0 victory over Chile last week.

Scaloni said at a pre-match press conference in Buenos Aires: "Now, the team has reached a new height. We can maintain a consistent style of play regardless of whether Messi is present or not. In the past, when Messi was absent, we needed to make some lineup adjustments, which often brought challenges, but now this situation is a thing of the past and the team is still running smoothly, which is a positive signal."

Although Argentina has ensured its promotion to the 2026 World Cup in North America, Colombia is currently ranked sixth in the standings and is on the verge of a last direct promotion place, and a victory is urgently needed to expand the gap with Venezuela at seventh place. Last September, Colombia defeated Argentina 2-1 in the World Cup qualifiers. In response, Scaloni commented: "This is a strong team with many top players, a clear tactical system, and can cause trouble to the opponent. We have conducted in-depth analysis of their characteristics, showing the opponent's advantages to the players, and also pointing out our breakthrough. This game is destined to be a fierce battle, especially because we are fighting at home. For fans, being able to witness the team's performance in person is undoubtedly a pleasure."