Argentina coach, Jorge Sampaoli has compared the pressure on star player Lionel Messi to win the World Cup to like having a revolver placed to his head.
Messi has led Argentina to a World Cup and two Copa America finals but failed to win any, with severe criticisms from home fans and media forcing him to quit international football briefly in 2016.
In excerpts of his new book set to be released in April, Sampaoli said, “Messi has a revolver put to his head called the World Cup and if he doesn’t win it, he’s shot and killed.
“As a result, he can’t enjoy his talent.
“What I find is that the negativity surrounding international football damages Messi.”
Sampaoli, however, was quick to heap praise on the five-time Ballon D’Or winner.
“At this moment, I feel that I’m coaching the best player in history,” he admitted.
“This is a guy who has stayed as the best in the world for 10 years.
“It’s difficult to assume a level of control when your leader knows he’s better than you, he executes things like nobody else.”
Sampaoli, a former Sevilla manager, said that playing the Barcelona forward in his preferred position would be key to achieving victory at the World Cup, saying the world owes the player a title.
He noted, “You have to find the best players and put them in their best position.
“Leo has to play like he does for his club, to put him into another structure is madness.
“Against Ecuador I was a bit strong in my tone suggesting that football owed Messi a World Cup, however I knew he was going to appear for us at the vital moments.”
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