Former Tottenham and PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino says \u201cwe are seeing the real Lionel Messi\u201d at the 2022 World Cup, at the same time rubbishing \u201cmyths\u201d regarding the Argentine legend\u2019s supposed lack of leadership.<\/p>\n
A seven-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner who would rather do his talking out on the pitch, the Argentine legend is now beginning to show different sides to his usually reticent public character in Qatar as the captain of the Albiceleste\u00a0\u2013 and Pochettino believes his fellow countryman is proving that he does have the mettle and character to go with his sublime abilities on the pitch that has mesmerized fans the world over for the last 15 years since his emergence in Barcelona FC.<\/p>\n
Ex-Argentina international Pochettino, who had the profound experience of managing his Argentinean countryman Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, has told The Athletic<\/em> of the global superstar who is illuminating the historic global event in the Middle East:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just the performances, which are what we expect. People think he is quiet, but sometimes what you perceive from the outside is wrong. He has a very strong character. He doesn\u2019t talk too much, but he talks when he needs to. Maybe we see him talking more now because of the cameras and the technology.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are seeing the real Messi. He was always like this. People like to talk in myths and we all know there are a lot of those in football. Right now, Messi is performing at his best in every single area, and when you have that on your side, only good things can happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Pochettino further touched on Messi\u2019s ability \u2013 not unlike what Diego Maradona also used to do \u2013 to pull others along with him :<\/p>\n \u201cHe knows exactly how he needs to behave, not only on the pitch but off it as well. And I think that leadership he is showing is why people finally believe this could be the time when the World Cup comes back to Argentina.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can see it in how he manages the game, how he talks with the referees, with Lionel Scaloni, even with the opponents. After the quarter-final against the Netherlands, when Argentina won on penalties, I heard some people comparing Messi\u2019s leadership with the leadership that Maradona used to show. Messi is now the leader that Argentina need, and for me, that is a massive step for him.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"