Former Real Madrid player accused of plotting to sack Messi's coach

Several soccer stars are linked to this scandal in the Argentine national team.

26/02/2024, 09:31 PM +00:00

Lionel Messi is one of the greatest players of all time. For the past 20 years he has enamored fans around the world with his goals, assists and dribbles, breaking most existing records, winning more titles than any other player before and being awarded countless times as the best on the planet.

But, in addition to his magic with the ball at his feet, what many highlight about Leo is his behavior off the field. He has never been involved in scandals in his private life, has been with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo for many years and with her he has three children, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro. But not only that, he has also never had conflicts with other players or coaches, except for that quarrel at the Qatar 2022 World Cup with Louis Van Gaal and Wout Weghorst.

That's why everyone was surprised when Messi was mentioned regarding a scandal in the Argentina National Team. In an interview with Radio Colonia, Alfio Basile was asked about his departure from La Albiceleste in 2008. "You said: 'I keep my secret under my pillow', but everyone was saying that Messi and Maradona conspired against you", said journalist Fernando Niembro.

And the former coach's answer was honest: "Not Messi. He had nothing to do with it, he didn't even talk. He was too good. I saw that there was a movement among the players and some chiefs, Argentina was going to qualify (to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa) anyway. I was tired of a couple of players."

Who were behind it?

Then the journalist asked specifically about a former Real Madrid player: "Was one of them Gago?", to which Basile did not hesitate to answer: "Gago was in that group, yes. 'Gaguito' was in the plot. As Mascherano was always the starter, he wanted to play. And with Maradona as a friend...". In this way, the former coach revealed his version of the events that led to his departure from the Argentine National Team, pointing the finger at one of the stars of that squad.