Messi, Scaloni, Martínez share childhood football philosophy before World Cup final

Ahead of the World Cup final, Argentine stars Lionel Messi, coach Lionel Scaloni, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez conveyed a unified message: embrace the game with the same joy and simplicity as when they were children. This sentiment, shared during a FIFA-organized event, aimed to put enjoyment and passion above the immense pressure of the final match.

Scaloni, responding to a question from tennis legend Novak Djokovic about managing pressure, recalled their humble beginnings. "We grew up playing football in very difficult places and situations," he said. "Pressure is in the background; we just have to think about playing football. There is always a tomorrow, the sun always rises. We have to do what we did as kids: play football without thinking about tomorrow."

“

We grew up playing football in very difficult places and situations. Pressure is in the background; we just have to think about playing football. There is always a tomorrow, the sun always rises. We have to do what we did as kids: play football without thinking about tomorrow.

Messi echoed this philosophy, explaining that he learned to manage finals by focusing on the passion and enjoyment of the sport, rather than the pressure. "We grew up playing football, with a lot of passion and always with a great desire to enjoy," Messi stated. "We never thought about pressure; we always considered it natural: to play and have a good time. We are a competitive group that likes to win, but understanding that it is a team sport, that the opponent always plays, and you can't always win. From childhood, I learned that you lose more than you win, and that made me grow as a person and as a player."

The event, held at the Javits Center, featured other sports stars like Tom Brady and Kevin Durant acting as interviewers, aiming to give the final a global dimension. The Argentine delegation arrived by helicopter, adding to the spectacle before the crucial match.

“

We grew up playing football, with a lot of passion and always with a great desire to enjoy. We never thought about pressure; we always considered it natural: to play and have a good time. We are a competitive group that likes to win, but understanding that it is a team sport, that the opponent always plays, and you can't always win. From childhood, I learned that you lose more than you win, and that made me grow as a person and as a player.