Following Argentina's woeful 3-0 defeat to Croatia, they had one foot out of the World Cup exit door.
After that game, Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano called a meeting with Jorge Sampaoli and the rest of his staff.
That is according to Argentine journalist Ariel Senosiain of TyC Sports and Ole columnist, who makes the revelation in his book Mundial es Historias.
The situation was critical and the players wanted to see the coach so they called Sampaoli to an urgent meeting with two of his assistants, Sebastian Beccacece and Lionel Scaloni.
The purpose of the meeting was clear, to make him see that the squad no longer trusted him.
"We don't get what you say, we don't trust you anymore and we want to have an opinion," was their argument.
Sampaoli was surprised by that and responded by asking what it was they wanted an opinion on, to which the players replied 'on everything'.
Messi took to the floor and was also unhappy with Sampaoli asking him who he should bring on, a moment which was picked up by cameras.
"You asked me 10 times which players you wanted me to see on and which ones I didn't and I never gave you a name," he said.
AFA president Claudio Tapia witnessed the unusual situation and was already aware of what the players were going to say to the coach and told Sampaoli that he had to give in to them.
The meeting calmed down after a lively start but things never boiled over and the consensus was reached that the coach should listen to the players and not get upset.
One of his assistants, Beccacece, wanted to resign but he was prevented from doing so by Sampaoli.
Joselyianibra
231
Sampaoli is a good Coach but Messi and Mascherano are trying to destroy his reputation...they try to behave as if they were bigger than the coach that is pressurizing the coach to do something that he was not suppose to do that is why Sampaoli was not good at the World Cup...if you need any suggestions try to tell the coach so that he could see what he can do first not by telling him what he was supposed to do.....if he was succesfull at Sevilla stoping Real Madrid undefeatable records at La liga what about Argentina ......
realmadridgoldenboy
130
I don't get this article at all, why are these media people always finding ways to tear great guys apart, Leo is a player under sampaoli, not his assistant, thank God he didn't mention any name... One bad tournament and the news people are looking for an escape goat. Sampaoli simply failed on his job so its not a Messi issue.
Muoacdiops
76
Sampoli made big mistake with not putting dybala in frist team. And also made mistake not taking icardi on world cup. Mybe dybal,messi & icardi or di maria made argentina's attack much more stronger and cosisten. Than island should have problem defending two great players.
outdoora
62
Argentina were a mess this World Cup but to their credit they managed to finish second in their group and take the eventual champions to the death in their match up. I get the feeling if they had a plan from beginning of the tournament they may have fared better. If they’d topped their group they could’ve been in the final. It’s a shame that a great generation of players were wasted with bad appointments and like of direction by the AFA. Peckerman could’ve won them the World Cup if he has stayed on board, Sabella did great IMO and Martino should’ve stayed on as they were playing football not only complimenting Messi but all their talents. It will go down as what could have been. I believe Messi not winning the World Cup will go down as the biggest shame in all of sports (barring deaths and exceptional circumstances) for me. His talent along with this career should’ve won the World Cup. I realise that no one is entitled a World Cup but I just feel it’s a shame.
sunnysayus
58
When a team is not getting the desired results,the manager become a novice and an object of mockery.Sampaoli's excellence in la liga earned him the Argentina coaching job.The whole team was in disarray and all the players too deserved questioning. They did not play well like they are doing in their club sides and they have being on that poor run for long.The team need a overhaul. Many members deserve to be changed for a better future to come.Sampaoli should not have overtly involved messi in the coaching duty.He expressed his confusion and it dented his professionalism.