Julio Olarticoechea, the legend of the Argentine national team, who won the 1986 World Cup title with his country, appeared to talk about the anticipated confrontation against Egypt, in the 2026 World Cup.
The pursuit of glory remains the desired goal of the greatest event in football, which is held every 4 years, when the strongest nations in the world of the round leather gather to compete among themselves and showcase the talents and stars they possess, boasting about them in front of the eyes of all the peoples of the globe.
The competition appears in a different form in the World Cup, where every star forgets his identity and the extent of his fame, summoning all the spirit and strength he possesses, as if he is playing football for the first time and seeking to prove himself, as he is not defending in that event for his name or for material gains, but for the colors of his country in the greatest competition that nothing else can match.
"Yalla Koura" chose to present to you a series of exclusive interviews with a number of stars who have previously participated in the World Cup, or who have previously had the honor of being present in the competition from the substitutes' bench, or who have contributed to the emergence of major names expected to appear in the 2026 edition of the North American World Cup.
Yalla Koura interviews Julio Olarticoechea
"Yalla Koura" chose to talk with Julio Olarticoechea, one of the most prominent players in the history of the Argentine national team, as he had previously won the 1986 World Cup title with his country, alongside Diego Armando Maradona.
Julio Olarticoechea touched on the difference between Maradona and Lionel Messi, before revealing the most important thing the Argentine national team needs before facing Egypt, continuing to praise the Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
How do you see the match between Argentina and Egypt in the World Cup?
"I think it will be a very strong match. I have not watched the Egyptian national team in all its matches, but I watched some of them and liked its performance. It has a good rhythm, and physically its players are strong, and with the presence of Salah, who is an exceptional player, it is capable of troubling Argentina if it is not attentive to him."
"But Argentina needs to improve a little, especially in midfield. We rely a lot on Messi, and the team's role must appear more, and there must be a stronger presence from midfield in the attacking side."
"In the last match against Cape Verde, and fortunately, the two players succeeded in scoring with their heads, and this helped the team, but we still need more effectiveness in midfield, which helps create scoring opportunities as we used to do before."
"Therefore, we must improve if we want to overcome Egypt, because it is a good team and I liked its performance a lot, and it is a lively and dynamic team."
How do you evaluate the level of the Argentine national team in this edition of the tournament? And do you think it has a real chance to defend the World Cup title?
"I think there are things that need to be improved. Yes, the team plays with a rhythm that needs development, and it must raise its level of play, especially in midfield."
"Midfielders must reach the attacking areas more and create scoring opportunities, and so far they have not achieved that in the required manner, but we hope they will be able to do so starting from now."
"Otherwise, things will become more difficult. This is a World Cup tournament and relies heavily on physical strength, and any of the participating teams reached here for a reason, as they all have strengths and capabilities of their own, and therefore we must be extremely attentive to that."
Did any player in the Egyptian national team catch your attention?
"You have a big star like Mohamed Salah who has been achieving success in Europe for years, and this is something admirable."
"And there is another player whose name I do not remember now, but he also impressed me a lot, but in general, you have a very good team, characterized by vitality and dynamism."
What are the most prominent aspects that you see the Argentine national team needs to improve during the tournament?
"I see that Argentina needs to improve movement performance in midfield. The team is good at keeping the ball, rarely makes passing errors, and circulates the ball well."
"But we need the midfielders to advance more toward the goal and pose an attacking threat."
"Opponents usually retreat in front of Argentina and close the spaces, and I realize that penetrating this block is not an easy matter, but we must try and improve this aspect."
You participated with Diego Maradona in winning the World Cup, and you also witnessed Lionel Messi's crowning with the title. In your opinion, who is better between them? And what are the most prominent differences between Maradona and Messi?
"Yes, I had the honor of playing alongside Diego Maradona in three World Cup tournaments, as well as in the youth national teams. I knew him since he was a 17-year-old boy, and I was honored to defend the shirt of the Argentine national team with him."
"It is not possible to draw a comparison between him and Messi; each has his own era. Maradona was the star of his era, and Messi is the star of the current era, and this is a wonderful thing for Argentina, and even for the entire world of football, to have players of this stature."
"The other players must also be praised, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, and there are many from different countries, and Mohamed Salah impresses me a lot, as I like his style. He is one of the players who make a difference as soon as the ball reaches them."
"I feel proud that Argentina produced Diego Maradona, then Messi, whom I see - despite his advanced age - as one of the most prominent stars of this World Cup. I hope he continues to give, as it is not easy for this amount of talent to appear, but Argentina always presents something different."
"However, it is very difficult for a player the size of Maradona or Messi to appear again, so we must benefit from Messi's presence, and I think this will be his last tournament in the World Cup, and I hope we reach the farthest point possible."
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