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Messi barefoot, Argentina relaxed ahead of the final.
17
Jul
Jul
Argentina National Team Relaxes After Listening to Music
At 11:37 AM on July 16th (US time), the atmosphere at Atlanta United’s training ground became special as a Bluetooth speaker outside the locker room played the song “Amor Clasificado.” This was also the moment when the album “A 2000” the work that made the late singer Rodrigo Bueno an icon of the cuarteto genre in Córdoba was about to finish playing.
For Argentinians, these familiar melodies evoke memories of their past journey and add to the excitement before the historic moment that was fast approaching.
To avoid the summer heat in Georgia, the coaching staff erected awnings in front of the locker room. Between the training ground and the locker room was a solarium-style wooden platform where the players took a break, chatted, and laughed before training.
Lautaro Martínez appeared quite relaxed.
Meanwhile, after sipping some mate tea, coach Lionel Scaloni strolled leisurely across the grass, juggling the ball rhythmically. After a few minutes of conversation with his assistant Walter Samuel, the 48-year-old strategist sat down on a bench facing the sunlight.
Just above him was a large sign with the number 4, marking training pitch number 4. That number immediately attracted attention because Argentina was also aiming for a fourth star on their jersey.
Scaloni quietly bent down to pick up the ball, twirling it between his fingertips before carefully observing it. In just a few days, he would be entering his second World Cup final as Argentina’s head coach and had the opportunity to make another mark in the history of the country’s football. After a few minutes of contemplation, Scaloni stood up and continued his daily routine on the training pitch.
Messi and the Pre-Training Rituals
In another corner, Lionel Messi maintained his familiar pre-training ritual: walking barefoot on the grass. The Argentina captain leaned against a granite wall, chatting with Juan Musso and Emiliano Martínez while waiting for the training session to begin.
According to the coaching staff’s plan, the players who started in the semi-final victory against England only performed light recovery exercises. Conversely, players who played little or no time were required to train at a higher intensity.
The atmosphere on the pitch was quite relaxed with lots of laughter, but focus remained. Argentina faced Spain in the final.
In the Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish people held their opponents in high regard. L’Équipe called Argentina “The Immortals,” a nickname reflecting the status of the reigning world champions after their impressive run under coach Scaloni.
After training, Messi and Leandro Paredes sat chatting on the bench before the team concluded their day. All preparations now focused on a single goal: to enter the MetLife Stadium in top form to conquer Argentina’s fourth World Cup title in history.
