At least one and a half million people tried to get tickets for the first post-World Cup game of the Argentinean national team. As the heroes returned home, it’s become clear that nothing would ever be the same again for the men who ended the 36-year-long wait and lifted the iconic trophy in Doha last December.##NAJAVA_MECA_7118474##Head coach Lionel Scaloni, the unassuming tactician, found out that even journalists can’t help themselves to remain professional and put their joy aside for a bit. Scaloni’s pre-game press conference ahead of the Panama friendly was quite a show.”I don’t wake up every morning thinking I’m a World champion. Do you? (Several reporters shouted ‘yes’). Ha-ha, well, we’re the opposite, then. I haven’t changed much. From time to time, something happens that reminds me of the success, but it quickly goes away. The only change is that I don’t get much quiet time – but that’s normal.”Argentina’s economic and political situation is very unstable — does that sound familiar? — and Scaloni knows football has helped many people forget about their troubles for a moment.”Sometimes, football is everything. But beyond football, there is the rest of life with its countless problems. We, the national football team, know we haven’t solved the people’s problems. It’s important for me and the players to remain humble.”“If I had many offers? I had one… from my son’s school, which I accepted right away for a few days”.Lionel Scaloni 🗣️. 😅🫶#SeleccionArgentina ⚠️The truth is no team would approach the BEST coach in the world as they know it is wasting time😅 pic.twitter.com/GfwKZeW62U— Argentina Latest News (@LatestTango) March 22, 2023 The nation was worried they might lose Scaloni to a big-money offer from some club, but he reassured the gathered media that there were no job offers. Well – except one.”I did not get other offers before renewing the contract with the national team, except for an offer from my son’s school! They invited me to coach them, so I went there for a few days in February and coached them. It was nice.”Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates will make a triumphant return in their homeland on Thursday (early hours of Friday for us) when they play their first match since winning the World Cup. More than 1.5 million fans applied for 63,000 available tickets for the game against Central American minnows Panama at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. The atmosphere is going to be electric.Lionel Messi leaving the restaurant. Rock star. Via @M30Xtra.pic.twitter.com/sxHStBX1kQ— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) March 21, 2023 Argentinean heroes will probably never have peace in their homeland, though -a t least not in the next couple of years. On Monday night, thousands of people gathered in front of the restaurant where Messi was trying to have dinner. Everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the national icon, to snap a selfie or touch the man who’s treated like a divinity in the South American country. According to some reports, the restaurant owner offered Leo to smuggle him out the back door and thus avoid the crowd, but the team captain declined. He wanted to greet the fans who flocked to show their admiration. In short, it feels great being a member of the Argentinean national team.The scenes in Argentina outside a restaurant where Messi was having dinner at 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/Hlb2q0I59Q— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) March 21, 2023 Back at the presser, Scaloni found out that, despite his willingness to say grounded, it’s not easy when everyone else, including media professionals, are still profoundly euphoric. In the middle of the “humble talk”, the reporters started to sing and chant “come on, champion” to the coach. He couldn’t stay cool anymore – and he could barely let these words out.”I’m starting to tear up.”Incredible ending of Scaloni’s press conference where he got emotional 🥹💙 pic.twitter.com/I6urHFKFXT— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) March 21, 2023
