Mauro Rosales: Maradona was the best in his moment but now I think nobody compares to Messi

Mauro Rosales has an added incentive in tonight’s match against Real Salt Lake. On the other side of the half way line stand two fellow countrymen, Fabian Espindola and Javier Morales.

Morales, he knows well, having played alongside him at Newells Old Boys in Rosario, Argentina. His conclusion is that the best way is to stop them getting the ball in the first place. 

While we had Rosales enjoying the chance to talk about great Argentinain footballers, we asked him for his opinion and you know who, and about how Argentinians might feel about winning the World Cup in front of Brazil’s fans.

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Prost Amerika: You’re going to be up against two fellow Argentinians. Does that add some extra bite for you?

Mauro Rosales: (Laughs) They are very good players, very important players for Salt Lake. I am really happy that they are doing very well but I hope they don’t have the best game against us, in the next two games in the playoffs. I wish the best for them but not against us.

Prost Amerika: Have you played against them in Argentina?

Mauro Rosales: I played with Javier Morales but not with Espindola. With Javi, we shared a team in Newells Old Boys in Rosario. He was playing, when I was there.

Prost Amerika: How would you play against him?

Mauro Rosales: It’s going to be a very tight game. Not so much space to play but we have to keep possession and it’s going to be the best way to play against them, try to not let them score, try to not take the ball for the key players and try to do our best.

Prost Amerika: I’m asking you as an Argentinean, who is the better player, Maradona or Messi?

Mauro Rosales: Maradona was the best in his moment but now I think nobody compares to Messi. Today, in this time, Messi has shown in the last five or six years that he is the best player in the world.

Prost Amerika: How does Argentina manage to produce so many great players for its size?

Mauro Rosales: I think we are proud to have these kind of players, and I hope that they can never stop because for them representing Argentina is the best way to represent our soccer, our mentality, our way to play the games. Messi and Maradona showed the world how good they are and today Messi compares to nobody.

Prost Amerika: Given the rivalry with Brazil, would winning a World Cup in Brazil be even better for the Argentinean people than winning one at home?

Mauro Rosales: Of course, it’s going to be like five times their winning the World Cup. But it’s going to be tough. Brazil is one of the best teams in the world. They show that every time they play in the World Cup. It’s going to be an extra thing to win a World Cup over there. We hope that we can make it a good one and we are sure that players from Argentina are going to do their best in Brazil.

Prost Amerika: If Argentina male it to the World Cup Final in Brazil, will you ask Sigi for time off to go and watch it?

Mauro Rosales: (laughs) It will be fine. If it’s time off (for the final), I don’t think they would have any problem to do it.

If they’re playing Germany Mauro, you’re going to have to ask very very nicely!

More Big Match Build up:

Tune in to KUOW at 12.05pm on Friday for a Match Preview with Prost Amerika Editor, Steve Clare.

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