Messi defends Argentina: ‘We were the best in four years’

A record for Pelé’s legacy

The number 10 shirt that the legendary Brazilian soccer player Pelé wore in the 1958 World Cup final was sold for $4.9 million, Sotheby’s auction house reported this Thursday.

Pelé, who passed away in 2022, was just 17 years old when he scored two goals in Brazil’s 5-2 victory over Sweden at Rasunda Stadium. He remains the youngest player to score in a World Cup final.

The piece is considered a priceless collector’s item, not only because of its history, but because of the impact that Pelé had on global football. The sale generated great interest among collectors and fans.

This event highlights how Pelé’s legacy continues to attract the attention of new generations and demonstrates the historical value of objects associated with sporting greats.

The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in New Jersey has a special background on the benches. Luis de la Fuente, coach of Spain, was Lionel Scaloni’s teacher in 2017, when the latter took the coaching course in Las Rozas.

Both face each other for the first time in a decisive match. Scaloni remembers it like this:

“In addition to having been my teacher in the coaching course, I have had a particular relationship with him, because I like his closeness and coincidentally today we met in a final.”

De la Fuente, for his part, expressed his admiration: “I am an admirer of him in football and he is a great person.”

Two profiles without clubs

Scaloni and De la Fuente share that they have never coached professional clubs. In a World Cup with coaches like Ancelotti or Tuchel, they represent the traditional national team coach. Its success does not depend on tactics, but on human management.

“The most important thing is to manage a group, beyond tactics,” said De la Fuente, who took charge of Spain after Qatar 2022.

Scaloni, nicknamed the “accidental coach”, took over in 2018 after leaving Russia. Despite Maradona’s criticism – “Scaloni? He can’t even direct traffic” – he led Argentina to the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América.

Firm decisions

Both technicians do not hesitate to leave out figures. Scaloni defeated Rodrigo De Paul in the semifinals; De la Fuente excluded Pedri to make way for Fabián Ruiz. “We do what we believe the party needs,” Scaloni explained.

Scaloni lives in Mallorca and has a Spanish family, but on Sunday he will look for victory: “I’m sorry, we’re going to try to beat them.” Someone will be crowned, but the respect between teacher and student has already been sealed.

Thomas Tuchel arrived at the English team as the key to ending decades of drought. The German coach, champion at clubs such as Chelsea and Bayern Munich, was hired to give England its second world title since 1966. But history repeated itself.

In the World Cup semi-finals, England lost 2-1 to Argentina. They were leading 1-0 until the 85th minute, but two Argentine goals – from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez – turned the score around. Another early elimination for a team that promised more.

Strong reviews

The English press was harsh on Tuchel. Headlines such as “Always the same story” and “Tuchel simply retreated” reflected the discomfort. Former England captain Gary Lineker questioned his future.

“He was brought in specifically to take us to the other side of the line. Is he the right man? He was completely wrong in the big moment,” Lineker said on ‘The Rest is Football’.

Wayne Rooney also took aim at the coach’s decisions.

“It’s a real panic. You can’t go 1-0 up and then give the ball away. Tuchel’s decisions cost us tonight,” he told the BBC.

Tuchel, for his part, took responsibility.

“As soon as you lose, they criticize you. I am responsible for the decisions. I accept the criticism,” he declared.

The contrast with Southgate

Tuchel’s predecessor, Gareth Southgate, was criticized for being too conservative in decisive matches. He led England to two European Championship finals, but without success. Tuchel, with a more aggressive tactical background, should have made the difference. It didn’t happen.

Mark Bullingham, the FA’s chief executive, described the defeat as “heartbreaking”. The wait for a world title continues.