The South American nation did not take the 0-3 defeat to Croatia lightly
They need someone to blame, with Leo Messi seen as one of the main scapegoats
Sebastian Fest writes Argentina’s La Nacionnewspaper: "The 3-0 against Croatia left two certainties and one unknown. Certainty: The national team is not a team. Another certainty: The national team doesn’t know how to make the most out of Lionel Messi. Unknown: What goes on in the head of the number 10 in games that develop from strange to tragic like today.
“It’s not Messi plus 10 anymore, it’s 11 minus Messi. The first half an hour of the game made it clear that it’s not like the captain doesn’t want it, even if his body language in the remaining hour of the game did allow the question as to how much."
Cristian Grosso of the same paper continued: "Messi didn’t come to the rescue. His head of glass shattered into a thousand pieces. Argentina must now construct a win against Nigeria out of their ruins."
Andres Eliceche can't see how Argentina can be rescued: "This was a game that needed to be a step forward and instead it was a step closer to the edge. I hope that his coming days are dark, unliveable, but I also hope they are better so they can survive a premature World Cup exit."
Hernan Claus of Ole has also blamed the Barca forward: "The captain was once more absent, he played badly, he looked spent and he left the field staring at the ground. He didn’t take charge of the team not before going 1-0 down nor after. Exhausted, not finding his place on the field, searching for link-ups that weren’t there - Pavón and Dybala came on too late - lost in the field and only lit up by his green boots."
The UNO paper had Jorge Sampaoli to blame rather than Messi and labeled his as 'father of defeat'.
Los Andes' cover reads: "Argentina are drowning in the fear that has paralysed the team since the final in 2014. Sampaoli failed and Messi was a shadow."
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