Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is confident Lionel Messi’s jerseys will be seen in the host nation’s stands, despite the Paraguayan Football Federation’s ban on competing teams’ clothing ahead of the match qualification for the 2026 World Cup scheduled for Friday.
Argentina are due to face Paraguay at the Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asunción, and Paraguayan FA football director Fernando Villasboa has called on home fans to only wear Paraguay jerseys, warning that wearing Argentine jerseys or any other club jersey containing names of players from other countries would not be tolerated.
“We will not allow fans to wear the opposing team’s jersey,” Villasboa told local media on Wednesday. “There is no problem facing Messi. We respect the careers of all players. But the pitch we play on is very important to us.”
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Paraguayan coach Gustavo Alfaro clarified: “I had nothing to do with the jersey ban. I had no idea. Messi is our rival on Friday. I wish him the best match of his life against Peru (the next match), but not tomorrow.”
However, Scaloni stressed that the global impact of Argentina’s number 10, the country’s all-time top scorer and World Cup winner, is much greater.
At a press conference on Wednesday evening, Scaloni said: “It is understandable that Paraguayan players and fans want to wear their national jerseys. But Leo (Messi) is bigger than all that, and the Argentina jerseys will be present. That doesn’t mean they won’t support Paraguay. I think it’s good for football fans to know who he is. Wearing a jersey doesn’t make you an Argentina supporter.”
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Argentina leads the South American standings with 22 points, three points ahead of Colombia. They will host Peru on November 19 after facing Paraguay.
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