Argentina goalkeeper: 'Mbappe doesn't know enough about football'
* Argentina - France: 10pm today 18/12, on MetaSports.
"Mbappe doesn't know enough about football," Martinez told his pre-match press conference. "Mbappe has never played in South America. When you haven't had this experience, it's better not to talk about it. But that doesn't matter. Argentina is a great and respected team."
In May, Mbappe said that European teams have an advantage when they regularly compete at the highest level, such as in the World Cup and UEFA Nations League qualifiers, while Brazil and Argentina are at a different level from the rest. of South America.
The 23-year-old striker emphasized that South American football is not as developed as it is in Europe, as shown by the most recent World Cup winners with France (2018), Germany (2014), Spain (2010) and Italy (2006). ). The last time the South American representative won the gold cup was Brazil in 2002, with the generation of legends like Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo or Ronaldo Nazario.
Many South American players and coaches are dissatisfied with Mbappe's statements. Striker Lautaro Martinez considers this a one-sided comment, when many South American players are playing in Europe's top leagues. Coach Tite sarcastically said that "Brazil does not have to face Azerbaijan, and there are no easy games in South America".
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi told TyC Sports: "We talked about this many times in Spain. When we came back from qualifying, we told them, 'You don't know winning tickets to the World Cup. How difficult is it, if you have to compete at high altitude, in the heat, for example in Venezuela'.
According to Martinez, Argentina has been studying France for a long time because it can soon meet the defending champion from the 1/8 round. The 30-year-old goalkeeper praised France for having a great defense and four dangerous strikers, including Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, but insisted Argentina were not weaker in the final.
"In the final of the Copa America 2021, they said that Brazil is the stronger team. Now, many people also rate France higher. But we have the best player in the world," added Martinez, praising the image. influence of captain striker Lionel Messi.
According to Martinez, Argentina went through a crazy journey at the 2022 World Cup, when it started with a reverse defeat to Saudi Arabia and ended with the final. He said: "It's been a difficult road, but we improve with each game. We don't want to leave the tournament soon and want to be in the final."
