Scaloni: This is how we can compensate for Messi, training him was a dream

Lionel Scaloni, the head coach of the Argentina national team, expressed his feelings after Lionel Messi's farewell to the "Tango" shirt, confirming that working alongside the team captain and one of the greatest football players in history was a dream come true.

Scaloni said after the win against Benin in Messi's farewell match: "It was a dream that I managed to achieve. I never imagined that I would be the coach of the best player in the history of football. We are endlessly grateful to him for giving us the opportunity to be with him."

Argentina's coach spoke about his tears during the farewell moment, explaining: "The tears are because a lot of things are going through my mind. It will be sad not to see him again, but he leaves us an incredible legacy."

Scaloni added: "We have a group of young players, and now the journey will continue, but the feeling of having Messi by your side is incomparable to anything. It's hard to explain that, no matter how we rebuild the team, and it can be a great team, I have never seen that aura in anyone throughout my life."

Scaloni confirmed that compensating for Messi's absence will be a collective effort, stating: "The only way to compensate for that is to build a strong team, where everyone contributes a part of the work. We no longer have that player who can, even when the match is going poorly, change the course of the game with his genius, but we have a team that can do many things when everyone works together."

Scaloni concluded his remarks with a heartfelt message about Messi's legacy, saying: "There will be nothing like it on the football fields. We are grateful to him for everything he has given us, and for the legacy he leaves. His legacy is incredible."