Argentina Manager Names Top 3 Footballers And Lionel Messi Is Not In That List
Lionel Scaloni ignored Messi and named Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and Lautaro Martinez in his top three footballers in the world.
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni did not include Lionel Messi in his list of the top three footballers in the world. It might come as a surprise to many who consider Messi the best player of his generation. The Argentine superstar has won as many as 46 trophies, including both at the club and international levels, to establish his stature as the most decorated footballer of all time. Scaloni was at the helm when Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022. The tactician, however, ignored the eight-time Ballon d’Or when asked to name the best footballing talents at present.
Scaloni started with Kylian Mbappe, who undoubtedly deserves to be in the top three of this generation. Since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer, the French attacker has scored 39 goals and provided five assists in his 53 appearances for Real Madrid. Mbappe also had a key role in France’s World Cup triumph in 2018. He also had a hat-trick in the 2022 final, but Messi’s Argentina prevailed in the tie-breaker.
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Next, Scaloni picked Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old winger has been in sensational form since his senior team debut in 2023. He won the European championship with Spain last season and remains on the verge of securing a domestic treble with Barcelona.
The third name Scaloni mentioned was Lautaro Martinez, who has led Inter Milan to the Champions League final this term. The Argentine forward has registered 22 goals and seven assists, featuring in 28 matches for the Italian giants across all competitions. Scaloni also spoke highly of Julian Alvarez, who has also performed brilliantly for Atlético Madrid in recent times.
“Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and the third one could be one of ours. It could be Julián Alvarez or Lautaro Martínez," Scaloni said in an interview with Spanish journalist Siro Lopez, before adding, “We don’t put Leo in the discussion because it’s tiresome."
His last words are proof of how much respect Scaloni holds for Messi. The duo has been working together for nearly seven years. They are now looking forward to the next World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026. Messi, however, has yet to confirm his availability for the competition.
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