“Lionel Messi would have said, ‘Are you completely crazy?’” - Ralf Rangnick’s old comments on ‘stupid’ German football resurface amid success 

Following Austria's performance at Euro 2024, old comments by the team's manager Ralf Rangnick about what Lionel Messi would think of the state of German football have resurfaced. Rangnick is famed for his ability to develop and groom talent, following his work with Hoffenheim and the RB Leipzig.

The tactician was critical of a move by German football to make football less competitive at younger levels, saying:

“In some areas in Germany, the local football associations have decided that from the age of 6 to 10, they do no longer count goals, results and they no longer have tables. I’ve never heard a more stupid thing, to be honest. Just remember when you all played and when you were six or eight years old and somebody had told you, ‘We are not counting goals, we are not counting results. We are just playing for fun."

Rangnick pointed out that the best players would not buy into that concept, even at a young age, saying:

“Had somebody told that to Joshua Kimmich when he was eight or to Lionel Messi, he would have said ‘Are you completely crazy?’"

He concluded:

“I mean this is why we are playing football. We are playing football to show that we are better than the other ones. We want to be competitive, we want to win games. All those kinds of players, Sadio Mane, Kimmich, Erling Haaland, Naby Keita, Dayot Upamecano they all had [this] in common. They wanted to get better every day and they had a top mentality. “

Ralf Rangnick has led the Austrian national team to the knockout stages of Euro 2024. The side finished top of Group D against the likes of France, Netherlands and Poland.

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Ralf Rangnick and Lionel Messi through to the knockout stages of their respective continental tournaments

Ralf Rangnick and Lionel Messi have both made it to the knockout stages of their respective continental competitions this summer with Austria and Argentina, respectively.

Rangnick, who manages the Austrian national team, has overseen the central European nation improve immensely under his stewardship. They beat Poland and the Netherlands to book their place in the round of 16 of Euro 2024 and could be dark horses following their fine performance in the group stage.

Lionel Messi helped Argentina to a 1-0 win over Chile at Copa America to ensure his side would finish top of Group A. The 37-year-old will be keen to retain the title with his nation in what could be his final continental competition with La Albiceleste.

Ralf Rangnick will be keen to build on his side's good form in the round of 16 where they will face the team that finishes second from Group F.