Weeks later after the final of the 2026 World Cup, Javier Milei spoke again about the Argentine National Team. In an interview with journalist Esteban Trebucq for LA CASA Stream, the president of the Nation talked about the current state of the team led by Lionel Scaloni, shared his opinion on the role that, in his view, politics should have in relation to sports, and questioned the management of Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia at the helm of the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
The admiration for the National Team and Messi
When asked what he likes most about the Argentine national team, Milei was emphatic: "That they never give up". "I would love for that to be the spirit of Argentines. That the Argentine National Team embodies the spirit of Argentines. Yes, they are a wonderful source of inspiration. I have enormous admiration for the players of the National Team", he added.
He also highlighted the consistency of the national team in the last World Cups. "In the last four World Cups, they reached three finals", he recalled, before once again paying tribute to Lionel Messi: "I have never seen anyone play football like Messi", he expressed.
Despite that admiration, he acknowledged that he does not personally know any of the footballers. "No, I do not know them personally. I am content to admire them and what they do", he stated.
"Politics should not mix with sports"
Milei took the opportunity during the interview to insist that athletes should not be involved in political debates. To support his stance, he recalled an anecdote about Elvis Presley, who, as he recounted, avoided publicly commenting on international conflicts because he understood that his role was to entertain the public.
After that example, he transferred the reflection to Argentine football. "The players are athletes. They practice the most popular sport in Argentina, for which we have an unbridled passion. But it should not be used politically", he emphasized.
Praise for Scaloni: "He is admirable"
During the interview, the President reserved some of his highest praises for Lionel Scaloni, whom he defined as an example of leadership. "Scaloni has an enormous future as a professor at any hyper-elite business university teaching leadership classes. And he always has the right words, he is always in the right place. And he is also a leader who leads mega-stars", he assured.
He even confessed that he would like to meet the National Team coach, although he explained why he never sought to make that meeting happen. "I have enormous admiration for Scaloni. I wish I could meet him one day, because as a leader, as a builder of a team, the truth is that what that man does is admirable", he said.
However, he clarified that he avoids taking that step because he believes it could harm him. "Since all these things are so politicized, it might cause him a problem. And the truth is that it is not right to create a problem for a person", he explained.
