Sir Alex Ferguson: Messi helped coach Scaloni become a better coach.
People talk about what Scaloni did for Messi, but I think the conversation should also go in the opposite direction. Messi helped Scaloni become a much better coach than many are willing to admit.
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World Cup on the sidelines: Coach Scaloni's career is made even more brilliant by Messi's brilliance. |
When you have the greatest player of his generation creating moments that no one else can, your job as a coach becomes much easier. Messi has saved matches, changed the course of tournaments, and turned difficult nights into victories with his brilliance.
That's not to say I'm denying Scaloni's contribution, as he did an excellent job. But let's be honest, every coach dreams of having a player who can solve problems that tactics alone can't.
There are matches where the plan fails, the opponent knows you inside and out, and then Messi touches the ball once and everything changes. Very few coaches in the history of football have had that luxury.
I've always believed that outstanding players make outstanding coaches even better. Messi has done that for Argentina. His influence extends far beyond goals and assists; he instills in the entire team the belief that they can win any game.
When history judges Scaloni, it will rightfully praise his achievements. But it should also remember that he had the honor of coaching a football genius who turned the impossible into the commonplace.
II- Messi has always won over people's hearts completely, while Ronaldo has not.
In management science and behavioral psychology, Messi represents Referent Power, while Ronaldo represents Expert/Legitimate Power.
To understand why Messi always inspires his teammates to "die for him," we must look at the following three core reasons:
1. The Nature of "Submission": Voluntary and Imposition
- Messi - submission stemming from gratitude and admiration. Messi possesses a supreme football genius but has an almost nonexistent ego towards his teammates. When the greatest player in the world drops back to midfield to receive the ball for you to take, gives you a penalty to score, and is willing to embrace you after a missed opportunity, he is instilling gratitude in you. Teammates around Messi submit to him because they feel respected, protected, and elevated.
- Ronaldo - Submission stemming from fear and obedience. Ronaldo subdued his teammates with titles, record-breaking numbers, and authority. He entered the locker room like a military commander: "I am the best, pass the ball to me, and I will lead you to victory." Teammates submitted to Ronaldo because he was so good and authoritative, but it was a submission born of responsibility and pressure. When you play alongside Ronaldo, you are always afraid of disappointing or angering him.
3. The Art of "Giving Way to Take the Stage"
A great leader isn't someone who scores all the goals, but someone who knows how to make those around them feel important.
- Messi is the "catalyst": Messi's playing style (creating chances, through passes, one-two combinations) demands teamwork. Messi needs teammates to make runs for him to pass to, and teammates need Messi to create scoring opportunities. This is a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship. Anyone who plays alongside Messi improves because they have more room to maneuver.
- Ronaldo is the "Endpoint": The system surrounding Ronaldo is a one-way system. Every pass from the wings, from the midfield, must be directed towards CR7's position. When you are a big star, constantly having to suppress your ego to be the "backdrop" for someone else to shine for a long time will create underlying frustration.
4. How to react when the "boat sinks"
The character of a group is most clearly tested not in victory, but in defeat.
- Messi takes full responsibility: When Barcelona or Argentina lose a match, Messi is always the one to take the blame, bowing his head to accept public criticism in order to protect his younger teammates. At the 2022 World Cup, when young players missed shots or made mistakes, Messi was always the first to hug them. This created a "psychological shield," making the young players feel completely safe knowing their older brother was there to protect them.
- Ronaldo tends to blame circumstances: When the team loses, Ronaldo's body language (shaking his head, walking straight into the tunnel, blaming teammates on the field) inadvertently sends a message: "I did my part well, it's your fault." Separating himself from the team's failure is a fatal blow that severs the bond and loyalty of those around him.
In short, the team surrounding Ronaldo is like an "empire," where Ronaldo is the sole ruler, reigning with authority and iron discipline. When the king's form declines, his courtiers tend to rebel or seek to liberate themselves (as is the case with the current Portuguese national team).
Conversely, the team surrounding Messi is like a "family," where Messi is the beloved and respected elder brother. They submit to Messi not out of fear, but because they want to protect him and see him happy. That's why Messi's power remains enduring and he has a much stronger ability to manipulate the collective psychology than Ronaldo, even in the later stages of his career.
5. Angel Di Maria commented on Messi's stunning free-kick after coming on as a substitute:
I've said this many times before: when Leo is on the pitch, anything can happen. Coming off the bench and scoring a goal from a free kick of that quality is unbelievable, but with him it's almost normal, because he's done the impossible throughout his career.
People always ask what makes him different. It's moments like these. He changes the course of a game in an instant and constantly defies expectations. For me, he remains the best player in the world, and seeing him continue to score on the biggest stages only adds to his unparalleled legacy.
6. Jurgen Klopp spoke about Messi's free-kick goal against Jordan:
Watching Messi score from that free kick brought back so many memories. Immediately, I remembered my time at Liverpool and that fantastic free kick he scored against us. Even when you're perfectly prepared to stop him, there are moments when you just stand there and applaud.
Watching him do it again against Jordan reminds you why he's remained at the top for so many years. The technique, the composure, the precision... it never fades. Most players lose that magic over time, but Messi continues to create moments that silence the entire stadium.
That's the mark of true greatness. Not doing it once, but making the extraordinary commonplace over nearly two decades.
7- Nestor Lorenzo (Colombia coach):
When I was asked to vote for the best player in the world, thinking it was for a European magazine, I chose Messi.
They told me, "No, Messi isn't on the list of nominees, he's not competing for the award."
I told them, "How could he not be in contention? Just the moment Messi steps onto the pitch, he's one of the best players in the world, one of the best of all time..."
Therefore, what he did didn't surprise me at all.
8. Messi's wife performed a very humane gesture.
Amidst the frenzied atmosphere of the World Cup, Antonela Roccuzzo used Instagram Stories to urgently appeal for help for the tragedy unfolding in Venezuela.
A day after the devastating earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale shook the coastal region of Venezuela, she shared a link to the official GoFundMe fundraising campaign to support the victims.
To date, the disaster has claimed over 1,700 lives and tens of thousands remain missing, including seven Venezuelan football players who are still unaccounted for.
Many celebrities have also spoken out, calling on the community to join hands in helping. However, with her influence, especially during the World Cup, Antonela's appeal became one of the most impactful, causing the campaign's numbers to skyrocket.
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/the-thao/worldcup-2026/world-cup-ben-duong-pitch-1046923
![[Photo] Strengthening character and expertise: Intense training for artillery soldiers.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/06/30/1782815602541_lu-368-1875-4571-jpg.webp)
