Claudio Vivas, who served as Argentina's assistant coach from 1998-2004, spoke about Argentina's first FIFA World Cup match in an interview with Argentine journalist Eduardo Feinmann. He stated that the best player in the world knows where to run, and Messi's efficiency is very convincing.
Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0 in their first FIFA World Cup match, with Messi scoring a hat-trick. Vivas said: "It was truly exciting because the team was facing an opponent that seemed easier to handle on paper, but in reality, they are a very strong team. Almost all Algerian players play in European football, and in some important leagues.
"To be honest, the Argentine team quickly regained possession after losing the ball. The team also knew how to drop back, change their game strategy, because this opponent needed space to be threatening. However, Argentina gave them possession, and they didn't really have many options when they had the ball. What they really needed was space. I think it was a very smart game. In addition, many players performed excellently, which also helped Messi complete his hat-trick.
"Argentina had less possession than Algeria, but Algeria didn't know how to use possession effectively. In terms of sprints, they ran more than us. However, Argentina's midfielders were very active, each running about 11 kilometers. Messi didn't need to run as much, as he ran about 6 to 7 kilometers.
"The best player in the world knows where to run. His efficiency is very convincing, because as long as he aims for the goal, it's either a goal or half a scoring chance. But what I saw was a Messi who even retreated to defend and win back possession. And if you think about it, if he's still running at almost 39, how can his teammates not run?
"But the hallmark of this team is something else. As soon as they lose the ball, everyone immediately rushes to win it back. And there's also strong leadership within the team. This leadership is very important, because it's not easy to bring these stars to such a high level."
The journalist mentioned in the interview that Argentina coach Scaloni once said that Vivas was his football father. To this, Vivas replied: "Yes, that was said during one of our meetings. I was working in Costa Rica at the time, and we played a friendly match. He said it very naturally. He is a sincere, loyal, and kind person, and I value him very much."
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