Nate Bukaty

Let's go make something special happen.

Now, I will say, the way he played in the two friendlies that they just had before the World Cup starts...

he scored a goal right off the bat and he celebrated that goal.

Like it was a real game, you know, like he was pumping his fist to the crowd.

It was like, and he had a really tough end to his regular, his professional season this year, which is another, I think layer of that negativity.

Cause when you're in Italy and not scoring goals, they let you hear about it constantly.

Right.

So he's got that coming at him.

And so I'm hoping that he kind of takes his aggressions and frustrations out on everybody in this tournament.

Cause sometimes, you know, yeah, sometimes you want to hear the optimistic guy, but other times guys play good when they're pissed.

Right.

And maybe that's what we'll get from him.

And I guess that's what I'm hoping for.

Lionel Messi is painfully shy.

He...

Always has been.

To this day, he doesn't feel comfortable talking on a microphone.

And he doesn't hardly ever do it.

He's Lionel Messi, so nobody cares.

Early in his career, for a long time, until they won this last World Cup, the narrative from the Argentina fans was he doesn't have it as a leader the way that Diego Maradona did.