Argentina coach ‘surprised’ by how much Messi knows about the sport – CBS sports.com (blog)

Argentina boss Edgardo Bauza said he was surprised at how much superstar Lionel Messi knows about soccer, according to Sport.

Currently preparing for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifying match against Paraguay which Messi will miss due to injury, Bauza detailed his meeting with Messi before the season in which it was believed he tried to convince the superstar to return from retirement and lead the national team. Bauza met with Messi in Spain in August and was caught a bit off guard.

“What surprised me is how much he knows about football, because he knows everything, about his team-mates, the technical team, about football,” he said. “He’s aware of everything. I always thought a player of his standing would have to be a player who knew a lot about football. But he surprised me even more than I thought. Leo knows everything about everything. Nothing escapes him. He has a very important understanding and this helps when one has to communicate their idea.”

So he’s like a coach on the field, which is always good. It’s that dedication and understanding that has contributed to his outstanding career.

Bauza also went into their meeting, and it seems as if he didn’t have to convince him to return.

“First we asked him if he would receive us. When he accepted, I knew that there would be no problem with him because it was going to be a chat about football. I didn’t go to convince Messi, I was convinced that in the chat a possibility would arise. He received me with Javier Mascherano at the Ciutat Esportiva and after the chat there was nothing more to say other than ‘Boys, you’re called up for the next game.'”

Let’s just say Bauza better be grateful that Messi returned. Because the alternative, well, it’s not pretty.