Home
The silence was abound in the dressing room of the Argentinean football team as they headed back to the locker room with glum faces that were just as baffled as their fans. This comes after the ongoing World Cup in Qatar witnessed one of the biggest upsets that will go down the annals of FIFA WC as Saudi Arabia humbled no.3 ranked team, Messi's Argentina in a stunning victory of 2-1.
This happens to be Messi's swansong FIFA World Cup and it has got off to a catastrophic start as hardly anyone envisaged Saudis who are ranked 48 will defeat Argentina who are favourites to win the World Cup. In the wake of the shocking defeat in their opener, Messi summed up the atmosphere of his team and refused to hide behind the wall of excuses to escape criticism. Silence abound the locker room as the room was deadly quiet.
"When the scoreline goes against you, it becomes even more difficult. The group is dead right now, because it's a tough blow to take, because we were confident of getting off to a good start, of winning, and that calms you.
"But this group stands out for its unity, its strength and now is the time to be more united than ever and know we can go back to the start, to our way of playing to try to win," said Messi as reported by Clarin.
Despite the setback, Messi wanted to end on a positive, looking ahead to the coming games. Next up for the Albiceleste is Mexico on Saturday.
"Calmness [is my message for the fans]. We know it's a tough blow, one that hurts," said the 35-year-old said.
"But we have to keep believing and we need the people to keep believing that this group won't let them down.
"We're going to go and try to win against Mexico."
The largest-selling newspaper in Argentina and the second most circulated in the Spanish-speaking world had a sensationally gripping headline which roared: En Busca de revancha.
La intimidad de la seleccion tras la derrota: palabras de messi, cena deficil y el juramento de levantarse (The intimacy of the selection after the defeat: Messi's words, difficult dinner and the oath to get up).
Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's football manager turns his attention towards the game against Mexico. As the players refused to take the optional hotel supper after the shocking defeat and decided to resign themselves to their room, Scaloni formulated a meeting with the coaching staff.
”They say that it was an extensive talk to try to lift the spirits, especially those who have no experience in this type of competition. Most of the Albiceleste squad are rookies in a World Cup and that is why it is necessary to support them from the mental point of view in this type of situation,” Clarin reported.
As Argentina cannot afford to minimise their chances any further to progress in the World Cup, it is for them En Busca de revancha time.
