As reported by Record, Mexico coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino was seen laughing with and hugging Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni after Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 last night. Martino, Argentinian by birth, is an unpopular figure in Mexico and his loyalties were questioned by some before the game with Argentina in danger of an early World Cup exit.
Reports in Mexico suggest that it was Scaloni who went to look for Martino after the Albiceleste victory in Doha and pictures show the two men joking in one of the corridors of the Lusail Stadium after the match. Martino had already been criticised in Mexico for meeting with Scaloni in Rosario on a crucial weekend for Mexico’s domestic league, Liga MX, earlier this year.
Having described himself as “public enemy number one” before the tournament, Martino now needs to engineer a win over Saudi Arabia in Mexico’s final game to have any chance of maintaining their record of reaching the last 16 at every World Cup since 1986.
GWFN
