During the press conference prior to the match against Jordan, in a response filled with recognition towards Enrique Macaya Márquez, the coach of the Argentine National Team, Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Lionel Messi will start the match on the bench.
Macaya Márquez opened his intervention with humor and summarized the entire conference in two questions: "I want to ask you two questions that summarize the whole press conference and my fellow colleagues are going to kill me, but I want you to answer me. One is, Is Messi playing? The other is, How will the team be formed?".
Faced with the possibility that Scaloni might avoid answering, the journalist added: "Beyond that, he has the door open not to answer and so I will replace the question."
The coach surprised everyone by responding immediately and dedicated a few words of admiration to the journalist. "Enrique, a pleasure, a pleasure that you asked me the question, a pleasure to see you here," Scaloni began, before highlighting Macaya Márquez's career in the World Cups: "I think we were just talking, how many World Cups has he been to? 18 World Cups. Incredible."
It was then that he confirmed one of the most anticipated pieces of news from the conference: "I will answer the question, Leo will be on the bench, but I answer because it’s you, otherwise I might have dodged it."
The response immediately satisfied the journalist, who replied: "That’s enough for me, that’s enough for me, that you answer me because it’s me, that’s enough." Scaloni insisted that the exception was due to the respect he feels for Macaya Márquez and emphasized: "Rest assured that I answer because I believe you deserve it, honestly."
However, the coach maintained the mystery about the starting lineup and avoided revealing the rest of the team. "The team, that one, I will hold off on," he explained, before closing with a new confirmation about the Argentine captain: "As for Leo, as for Leo I tell you, Leo will start later and I have the team confirmed, but we will announce it tomorrow, Enrique. So thank you very much for asking and enjoy the World Cup."
