Back at HSV: Capaldo relishes time with „childhood idol“ Messi | OneFootball

Nicolás Capaldo was part of Argentina’s provisional World Cup squad and only narrowly missed out on going to the tournament.

The Hamburg vice-captain even made his senior international debut in the warm-up match against Honduras (2–0). He was used at right-back. His previously injured rival Gonzalo Montiel ultimately returned to full fitness and was preferred by coach Lionel Scaloni, who mainly relies on players who won the World Cup title in Qatar in 2022.

Capaldo got over the disappointment quickly. After his vacation, he rejoined HSV, who are currently at a training camp, on Thursday. “It doesn’t get any bigger than being involved with the reigning world champions. Even though I ultimately wasn’t at the World Cup, I still mainly feel proud,” the 27-year-old said in an interview with the club’s media.

Photo: IMAGO

What sets Messi apart, according to Capaldo

For him, his first appearance for the Albiceleste was “a dream come true.” Accordingly, Capaldo is also cheering them on from in front of the TV: “I watch every one of their World Cup matches and I’m their biggest fan.” So far, his support has helped. Argentina have rarely been convincing, but they have shown resilience and reached the quarter-finals with narrow wins over Cape Verde (3–2 after extra time) and Egypt (3–2), where Switzerland, led by HSV left-back Miro Muheim, await.

They have mostly been able to rely on the individual quality in the squad, which Capaldo also highlighted: “I trained there with the best footballers. The intensity and the quality were so high.” Once again, Lionel Messi, now 39, stood out in particular, scoring an impressive eight goals in five matches and becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.

Nur die Raute – by HSV fans for HSV fans

Capaldo may remember meeting the superstar for the rest of his life: “I had never met him before, so it was my first time. He is the best player in history and has been my idol since childhood. When I looked at him, I got emotional.”

Alongside Messi’s extraordinary footballing ability, his attitude also left an impression on the HSV leader, who likewise always shows great commitment: “He always gives his best and works very hard. That inspires everyone. If he works hard, everyone else does too.” That is something he is taking away from the international trip and will likely try to pass on to his teammates at the club.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.