World Cup: Rafael Nadal encourages Argentina to respond to the shock of Saudi

Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam tennis champion, suggested Lionel Messi’s Argentina can bounce back from their shocking World Cup loss to Saudi Arabia and have a strong showing in Qatar. Rafael Nadal is an expert on perseverance in sports.

Before his exhibition match in Buenos Aires against the Norwegian Casper Ruud, Real Madrid supporter and avid football fan Rafael Nadal of Spain remarked, “I’m not one for extremes, neither too much elation nor too much tragedy.”

“The world has not altered…
There are still two games, and they only lost one.
They should at least be treated with confidence and respect.

“Why would they lose confidence when they have one of the finest winning runs in history and are American champions?
Argentina is still a strong possibility to advance, in my opinion.”

Nadal, who captured two Grand Slam titles in an injury-plagued 2022, claimed Saudi Arabia’s success was only evidence of how competitive football has become.

The 35-year-old also paid respect to Messi, who represented Barcelona, the bitter rival of Real.

As a sports fan, Nadal added, “Messi stole things away from Real for years, but in the end, you respect someone so wonderful.”

“We had the good fortune to witness him at La Liga during the pinnacle of his athletic career.

“He’s one of the greatest players in the history of football and sport, and he’s given us unforgettable moments in the world of sport.”

On Saturday, Argentina takes on Mexico in their second Group C encounter.

(Reuters)