🚨Lisandro Martínez on Lionel Messi’s influence during Argentina’s comeback:
🗣️ “The moment we went two goals behind, nobody panicked.
Nobody shouted.
We just looked at Leo.
He didn’t say much.
He simply started asking for the ball every single time.
That’s when we all understood the game wasn’t finished.
A few minutes later he created one goal.
Then he scored another.
Nobody had to stand in the dressing room and talk about belief.
When Messi decides the match isn’t over…
The rest of us stop thinking about the score and start thinking about winning.”
Imagine playing like ass for 80 min. Entire world is watching & hating. Social media mocking you as you are down 2-0 in the World Cup.
Instead of cracking under all that pressure, you lock the fuck in and win it 3-2 with a goal and an assist.
ALL AT 39 YEARS OF AGE BTW……..
US goes down two goals, heads down, our leader gets hurt and limps off. Argentina goes down two goals, Messi’ gets that look in his eye, the dog starts to come out and he gets an assist, dribbles by dudes , gets a goal and gets emotional and wills his team to win….GOAT
What the US soccer culture lacks is what the US basketball culture has by the bushels ....
A long-established habit of playing pick-up basketball on public courts. Just show up and play.
That's where soccer skills are developed around the world where soccer is the most popular sport.
Kids just go to the park and play with their friends -- without coaches and without structure.
THAT is where the most skilled players in the world learn to make the ball and extension of their foot.
The day US soccer players stop needing to have an average household income of 300k a year to have youth development is the day we start competing for a cup
This is major reason why the US can’t compete with other countries, the cost to play competitive soccer. Most families can’t afford this. Our best athletes play basketball, football and baseball, cost is so much lower, but also the best players get it paid for. Not for soccer.
Why can't the USA have a dominant soccer team? Look how much it costs to play under 9 soccer for my local team. My parents didn't pay even ten percent of this in total for 8 years of me playing as a kid in Ireland.