On March 31st, before the upcoming warm-up match against Argentina, Zambian captain Sakala said in an interview with Argentine newspaper Olé: "Messi is strong, but I think Ronaldo is better than Messi."
Sakala said with a smile: "I have imagined playing against Argentina countless times in my mind. I have been looking forward to this day." He admitted that this is not just an ordinary match, but also a rare opportunity to compete face-to-face with the world champions. Sakala added: "This will be a very exciting and interesting match. My teammates and I are very excited."
Before talking about football, his hairstyle attracted everyone's attention. The golden stripes on his hair are reminiscent of Maradona's iconic look when he returned to Boca in 1995. Sakala laughed and said: "I know him, but I didn't know he had this hairstyle before. This also shows that history always repeats itself." He also said that he is familiar with Argentine football: "I know Boca, River Plate and Racing Club, and I have also watched Argentina win the Qatar World Cup, which was very exciting."
Talking about the upcoming match, he predicted the atmosphere at the stadium: "I know the passion of Argentine fans for football, and I hope there will be about 50,000 spectators in the stadium." Obviously, Sakala knows the weight of playing in Argentina. For him and many of the Zambian team members, this is by no means an ordinary warm-up match, but a historic experience worth remembering.
Facing the classic question of "Ronaldo or Messi," Sakala said bluntly: "In my opinion, Ronaldo is better than Messi." He explained that this is partly because he currently plays for Al-Fayha in the Saudi League, which has something to do with it, as that is also the league Ronaldo is in. However, he also expressed his respect for Messi: "He is one of the greatest players in history, and has a huge impact on young people, especially young Africans. But even so, I still prefer Ronaldo."
In addition, the Zambian coach said before the match: "No one expected to receive an invitation from Argentina." It is worth mentioning that a Zambian player was unexpectedly hospitalized before the match, but the team as a whole is well prepared.