“Extra-dimensional analysis is now at our fingertips. Everyone knows how the opponent plays. The data overload is such that the most important thing is that the player is being controlled by a remote control.”
“I don’t know about other teams, but in our case, I see that there is a risk of losing the essence, a risk of taking away the best quality from the players. If you are constantly telling them what to do, then this risk is created.”
“We are losing the essence of football, not only at the professional level but also among children. My kids play in Spain, where they are overloaded with information. They get instructions on what to do without even receiving the ball.”
The number of dribblers is reduced because, before the ball is at their feet, you say, “Pass!” Imagine an 8-year-old Messi being constantly told by his coach to “pass the ball!” Then we would not have found him today.
“If you tell a 7/8-year-old kid to take a diagonal run, take a defensive cover—think he’s only 7! Let him play with the ball, let him make mistakes, and when he’s 14 or 15, we can correct him. This is a message for the future. It is a game; the beauty of the game of football cannot be allowed to be lost.”
Scaloni is a particular favorite of mine because of this football philosophy.
There is a difference between Europe and Latin America in terms of skill. They never match Latin America, and because they can’t, they always calculate like a computer. In their game, there is no rhythm to find; there is a robotic feel. For Latinos, football is not about profit and loss; football is about joy. This joy should not be lost.
