Atletico Madrid coach, Diego Simeone has been in the spotlight in the last couple of days for a leaked conversation during the FIFA World Cup 2018.
In the conversation, he insisted Lionel Messi would be his choice to have in a team of “great footballers” and not Cristiano Ronaldo.
Simeone clarified his comments in a press conference on Monday.
Simeone admitted it was his remarks that emerged last month, analysing Argentina’s downfall and Messi’s contribution at the World Cup in Russia.
The conversation, one in which Simeone had with his Atletico assistant following Argentina’s World Cup loss to Croatia, went viral.
“[Messi] is very good because he is accompanied by extraordinary footballers,” Simeone said in the conversation, before asking Burgos a question. “If you had to choose between Messi and Ronaldo for a normal team, who would you choose?”
Simeone has explained his remarks, as reported in El Mundo.
“Yes, it was me who said it. But I was explaining to German just as a conversation you would have between friends when talking about football. I wasn’t talking about who is the best in the world but rather saying that in a normal club, with normal players, Ronaldo would be a better fit. But Messi, surrounded by great footballers, continues to be the best in the world.”
Ronaldo scored four goals in Portugal’s opening two World Cup games, including a stunning free-kick to complete a hattrick in a 3-3 draw against Spain. The European champions got eliminated in the round-of-16 by Uruguay.
Lionel Messi came under fire for his performances in Russia. The Barcelona forward scored only one goal. And Argentina crashed out of the World Cup after a 4-3 defeat to France in the round-of-16.
Asked who would he choose for his team, Simeone said,
“I would probably choose Messi, without a doubt.”