Rafael Nadal is aware of all about resilience in sport and the 22-time Grand Slam tennis champion stated Lionel Messi’s Argentina can shake off the frustration of their gorgeous World Cup defeat by Saudi Arabia and have a deep run in Qatar.
“I’m not one for extremes, neither too much euphoria nor too much catastrophe,” Spaniard Nadal, a giant soccer fan who helps Real Madrid, stated earlier than his exhibition match towards Norwegian Casper Ruud in Buenos Aires.
“The world hasn’t changed… They simply lost a game and there are two to go. The least they deserve is confidence and respect.
“They come from being champions of America, from having one of the best winning streaks in history, so why lose confidence? I still think Argentina is a clear candidate to go far.”
Nadal, who gained two Grand Slams in an injury-hit 2022, stated Saudi Arabia’s victory was merely a mirrored image of simply how evenly matched soccer has grow to be.
The 35-year-old additionally paid tribute to Messi, who performed for Real’s arch-rivals Barcelona.
“Messi took things away from Real for years but in the end, as a sports lover, you appreciate someone so special,” Nadal stated. “In LaLiga we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy him in the best years of his sporting career.
“He has given us special moments in the world of sport, he’s one of the top players in the history of football and sport”.
Argentina performs Mexico in its second Group C match on Saturday.