Argentina need a project to make Lionel Messi 'comfortable' if they want to stop him retiring, claims Carlos Tevez Carlos Tevez hope...
Carlos Tevez hopes Lionel Messi does not retire from international football after his latest World Cup disappointment, but insists that Argentina need to build a project that makes the Barcelona star feel “comfortableâ€.
Messi could not prevent Argentina being eliminated by eventual World Cup winners France at the round of 16 stage in Russia, the culmination of a chaotic and at times shambolic campaign that featured a humiliating 3-0 loss to Croatia as well as a reported player revolt against coach Jorge Sampaoli and a physical altercation between Javier Mascherano and Cristian Pavon.
Sampaoli departed in the wake of Argentina̢۪s exit from and many fear that Messi will also bow out, having already returned once after retiring from international football following the Copa America Centenario in 2016.
France vs Argentina: Player ratings
24 show all France vs Argentina: Player ratings1/24 France
AFP/Getty Images2/24 Hugo Lloris - 6 out of 10
Could do nothing for Di Maria̢۪s wonder goal, and a cruel deflection on Messi̢۪s strike. Getty Images3/24 Benjamin Pavard - 8
At just 22, he showed plenty of experience and kept Di Maria quiet, for the goal Di Maria went into the middle, getting no joy from Pavard down the left. Scored a screamer to equalise, and brought France back into the match. FIFA via Getty Images4/24 Raphael Varane - 7
Could do little for Di Mar ia̢۪s individual goal, and played out well from the back. FIFA via Getty Images5/24 Samuel Umtiti - 7
With only Messi to contend with in a false nine role in the first half, had little to do, with the only goal coming from range. Getty Images6/24 Lucas Hernandez - 6
Dealt well with most he encountered, but against an inform player could be a weakness in the quarter finals. Getty Images7/24 Paul Pogba - 8
After a slow start, he grew into the game and sprayed some wonderful passes out to Griezmann and Mbappe. Finally showed his massive potential. AFP/Getty Images8/24 Ngolo Kante - 7
Calm and composed in possession, looks to have time on the ball even in a crowded midfield. Corbis via Getty Images9/24 Blaise Matuidi - 8
His experience and reading of the game prevented Banega and Messi combining as they did against Nigeria, and he̢۪ll be a big miss in the quarters after picking up his second yellow of the tournament. Getty Images10/24 Kylian Mbappe - 9
The star of the first half show, his pace and power earnt the penalty, and left Otamendi and Rojo in his wake, before adding two goals of his own. AFP/Getty Images11/24 Olivier Giroud - 7
A quiet showing from the frontman. Struggled to connect with Griezmann, and inches away from connecting with a Pavard cross. Fought to the end and gave everything. Getty Images12/24 Antoine Griezmann - 8
Calm from the penalty spot for the opener and caused problems with his pace. Struggled to combine with Giroud with his final ball, but performed well overall. AFP/Getty Images13/24 Argentina
Getty14/24 Franco Armani - 4
Committed too early for Griezmann’s penalty, rooted to the spot for his free kick that hit the bar, should’ve done better for Mbappe’s second. Adjudged to be the best of a poor three Argentinian goalkeepers â€" not on this showing. Sergei Savostyanov/TASS15/24 Gabriel Mercado - 5
Lucky to escape a yellow card for a challenge on Kan te, and one of many to look uncomfortable against French pace in attack, lost his discipline towards the end. Getty Images16/24 Nicolas Otamendi - 6
Dealt well with Giroud, but looked vulnerable with the pace and power of Mbappe and trickery of Griezmann. Getty Images17/24 Marcos Rojo - 4
From hero to villain, at fault for the French penalty, and looked out of his depth against the flying Frenchman Mbappe withdrawn at half-time. Getty Images18/24 Nicolas Tagliafi co - 6
One of the better Argentinian defenders despite his inexperience, also tried to get forward wherever he could. Getty Images19/24 Cristian Pavon - 6
One of the players that shouldered the burden of trying to support Messi, but the combination of a French defence and Kante sitting in front left little space for him. Getty Images20/24 Javier Mascherano - 6
A yard short of the pace, and his midfield passes that once looked genius, now just take too much time and go backwards. AFP/Getty Images21/24 Enzo Perez - 5
A quiet first half, and replaced by Aguero early in the second half. AFP/Getty Images22/24 Angel Di Maria - 7
Everything he has been for quite a while now, inconsistent but has the talent to change a game, and his strike will be up there for goal of the tournament. AFP/Getty Images23/24 Ever Banega - 6
Struggled to link up with Messi as he did against Nigeria, but worked hard and tried to help in defence too. Getty Images24/24 Lionel Messi - 6
A quiet first half in a false nine position with team mates that left him to dig deeper and deeper for the ball, needed a striker to work with and Aguero̢۪s introduction was too late for him. Yegor Aleyev/TASS1/24 France
AFP/Getty Images2/24 Hugo Lloris - 6 out of 10
Could do nothing for Di Maria̢۪s wonder goal, and a cruel deflection on Messi̢۪s strike. Getty Images3/24 Benjamin Pavard - 8
At just 22, he showed plenty of experience and kept Di Maria quiet, for the goal Di Maria went into the middle, getting no joy from Pavard down the left. Scored a screamer to equalise, and brought France back into the match. FIFA via Getty Images4/24 Raphael Varane - 7
Could do little for Di Maria̢۪s individual goal, and played out well from the back. FIFA via Getty Images5/24 Samuel Umtiti - 7
With only Messi to contend with in a false nine role in the first half, had little to do, with the only go al coming from range. Getty Images6/24 Lucas Hernandez - 6
Dealt well with most he encountered, but against an inform player could be a weakness in the quarter finals. Getty Images7/24 Paul Pogba - 8
After a slow start, he grew into the game and sprayed some wonderful passes out to Griezmann and Mbappe. Finally showed his massive potential. AFP/Getty Images8/24 Ngolo Kante - 7
Calm and composed in possession, looks to have time on the ball even in a crowded midfield. Corbis via Getty Images9/24 Blaise Matuidi - 8
His experience and reading of the game prevented Banega and Messi combining as they did against Nigeria, and he̢۪ll be a big miss in the quarters after picking up his second yellow of the tournament. Getty Images10/24 Kylian Mbappe - 9
The star of the first half show, his pace and power earnt the penalty, and left Otamendi and Rojo in his wake, before adding two goals of his own. AFP/Getty Images11/24 Olivier Giroud - 7
A quiet showing from the frontman. Struggled to connect with Griezmann, and inches away from connecting with a Pavard cross. Fought to the end and gave everything. Getty Images12/24 Antoine Griezmann - 8
Calm from the penalty spot for the opener and caused problems with his pace. Struggled to combine with Giroud with his final ball, but performed well overall. AFP/Getty Images13/24 Argentina
Getty14/24 Franco Armani - 4
Committed too early for Griezmann’s penalty, rooted to the spot for his free kick that hit the bar, should’ve done better for Mbappe’s second. Adjudged to be the best of a poor three Argentinian goalkeepers â€" not on this showing. Sergei Savostyanov/TASS15/24 Gabriel Mercado - 5
Lucky to escape a yellow card for a challenge on Kante, and one of many to look uncomfortable against French pace in attack, lost his discipline towards the end. Getty Images16/24 Nicolas Otamendi - 6
Dealt well with Giroud, but looked vulnerable with the pace and power of Mbappe and trickery of Griezmann. Getty Images17/24 Marcos Rojo - 4
From hero to villain, at fault for the French penalty, and looked out of his depth against the flying Frenchman Mbappe withdrawn at half-time. Getty Images18/24 Nicolas Tagliafico - 6
One of the better Argentinian defenders despite his inexperience, also tried to get forward wherever he could. Getty Images19/24 Cristian Pavon - 6
One of t he players that shouldered the burden of trying to support Messi, but the combination of a French defence and Kante sitting in front left little space for him. Getty Images20/24 Javier Mascherano - 6
A yard short of the pace, and his midfield passes that once looked genius, now just take too much time and go backwards. AFP/Getty Images21/24 Enzo Perez - 5
A quiet first half, and replaced by Aguero early in the second half. AFP/Getty Images22/24 Angel Di Maria - 7
Everything he has been for quite a while now, inconsistent but has the talent to change a game, and his strike will be up there for goal of the tournament. AFP/Getty Images23/24 Ever Banega - 6
Struggled to link up with Messi as he did against Nigeria, but worked hard and tried to help in defence too. Getty Images24/24 Lionel Messi - 6
A quiet first half in a false nine position with team mates that left him to dig deeper and deeper for the ball, needed a striker to work with and Aguero̢۪s introduction was too late for him. Yegor Aleyev/TASSTevez is adamant that Argentina need Messi as much as ever, but called on his country to give the five-time Ballon d̢۪Or winner something worth sticking around for.
“I think Leo has to think about himself,†Tevez told ESPN. “He has to think that, if there is not a project that makes him happy and in which he feels comfortable, it is very difficult to take the responsibility of leading Argentina to become champions by himself.
“We are wasting a lot of time not having him happy and not being able to give him a hand to achieve that target. I think we are wrong in not being able to help him feel comfortable.
“As a player and as an Argentine I tell him that we need him, that he tries to rest, that he keeps a cool head and that we need him. We need him because he is the soul of Argentina and, as long as he continues playing football, it has to be that way because he is Argentina's biggest idol and he has to take that responsibility.
“Now [I tell him] to rest, keep a cool head and try to be well, then we need him to take charge and on the pitch.â€
Highly-regarded Peru coach Ricardo Gareca has been touted as Sampaoli̢۪s successor with Argentina ahead of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, which is due to begin next year.
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Source: Google News Argentina | Netizen 24 Argentina
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