‘He’s the best player of all time’ Scaloni hails Messi

won their Copa America quarter-final tie against

with a 3-0 result on Saturday.

provided an assist for Rodrigo De Paul’s opener in the 40th minute, before setting up Lautaro Martinez for the team’s second goal in the 85th minute. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner completed his top-level performance by scoring a trademark free-kick in stoppage time. In a post-match interview,

Lionel Scaloni

expressed his excitement over Messi’s performance.

"Leo's game, I honestly don't know if he's going to get tired of being praised every day,"

Scaloni told a press conference.

"The best thing that can happen for us football lovers is that the stars play until any age they can and we enjoy it.

"Messi is enjoyed even by opponents when they play against him. We are talking about the best player of all time.

"It is difficult for a player to be at his level. Neymar may at some point be a similar player but because of what he has done, is doing and will continue to do, we must remember him for who he is."

The Albiceleste, who are hoping to win the Copa America title for the first time in 28 years, extended their unbeaten run under Scaloni to 18 games.

"Whoever believes that you can win every game 3-0 easily is wrong especially in this Copa America, which has conditions that are very different,"

he said.

"I don't know if it's the best moment for the team. It is an instance that we like, it is decisive and we will try to move forward with the utmost humility and work."

Argentina will play their semi-final tie against Colombia on Tuesday. Colombia secured their spot in the semi-finals by beating Uruguay 4-2 on penalties.

Asked about his side’s upcoming match against Colombia, Scaloni responded:

"I want to emphasize that in this Copa America any of these teams could push any team in the world," he said.

"The level is quite high, it is not like before where the matches were taken for granted that you would win.

"We have already faced Colombia in the [World Cup] qualifiers. Now they will recover [Juan] Cuadrado, it will be difficult and like all matches.

"We hope to play it with the same intensity and enthusiasm, we have an enormous desire to play in the final."

Messi reached 76 international goals in his 149th appearance for Argentina. The Barcelona star hopes to win his first major international trophy before deciding his future at the Catalan club.

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