EXCLUSIVE: Federico Fazio on Messi's hat-trick & how crucial Rodri is to Spain's hopes

Were you surprised by Messi's performance, scoring a hat-trick at 38 years old in the Argentina-Algeria match and becoming the joint all-time top scorer at the World Cup alongside Klose?

"I don't think anything Messi does surprises anyone, even though you see what he does and what he brings in every match, and it's already his sixth World Cup. I was talking with friends about how Messi is still there, almost 39 years old, doing pretty much the same as always.

"The goals are his trademark, even the one he scored from an offside position; all his goals are similar. It feels like when you look back, it's the same; he keeps doing exactly the same things. No one is surprised because that's just who he is."

How do you see Argentina at the World Cup under Scaloni? Do you think it's possible to sew a fourth star on the shirt and win four titles in a row (which would be extraordinary), including two Copa Américas?

"Yes. Before the World Cup, you could see Argentina just about making it, with some injured players who hadn't played many minutes in the last matches, like (Cristian) Romero or Dibu (Emiliano) Martinez, who was also injured. Players who are still adapting a bit and are like new additions. You could see (Facundo) Medina playing as left-back, and on the right, both were a bit banged up; (Nahuel) Molina is carrying a knock.

"So honestly, I wasn't expecting much, but I saw Argentina looking pretty solid against Algeria, which is a very good team. And watching the World Cup, watching the matches, right now some teams are a bit ahead, like France, for example. But they could have easily lost the match, even though in the second half they were a bit better. But Senegal could have gone into halftime 0-2 without any problem.

"I don't see much superiority on paper, and honestly, it's always tough to play these matches. Now you see it on TV, but each venue, for example, in New York, in Miami, it's really hot. Some stadiums are covered, but still, depending on where you play, it's very hot. Some teams are very physical. You could see it on Wednesday with Portugal, who struggled to win and in the end didn't, just like England, who did win in the end, in a very close match decided by small details.

"I don't see any team being much better than the rest, even though on paper I think France has the best players, but as I said, they could have easily gone into halftime 0-2 down. So I see everything very even, and when it just starts, it's difficult. When a team gets into a rhythm, goes on a good run, like Argentina did at the last World Cup, I think that will come as the matches go on."

What did you think of Spain's debut against Cape Verde, with that goalless draw that drew so much criticism for their lack of finishing?

"Just by name, maybe a bit more was expected from Spain. But no match is easy. What I saw from Spain was that everything they tried in the match was very monotonous; I noticed they always tried the same thing.

"Cape Verde was well organised at the back and Spain maybe needed to try something different from what they had been doing, especially in the first 70 minutes. Later, with some changes, things could have shifted a bit more, but I found Spain's play very monotonous in the first match. Cape Verde looked very comfortable defending against what Spain was trying to do.

"So yes, maybe they needed a different approach, because you could see they couldn't break through the way they wanted. But as I said, it's the first match, and the second is the same. In the end, the World Cup is about getting into rhythm, finding your best form, and the players getting to know each other better, and that will come as the matches go on."

'Rodri is fundamental for Spain'

Which Spain player would you say is their most important?

"For me, Rodri is always fundamental. I think he's the one who controls Spain's tempo, beyond the individual qualities of the others, right? If we start talking about Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Fabian Ruiz, they're important too. But for me, Rodri is key."

Let's focus now on your career. You currently live in Seville. What are you doing these days?

"On Friday, I have to travel to the United States, I'm going to the World Cup. I'm taking a FIFA club management course. The course is called FIFA Executive Players and it's finishing now. It's been a year and a half, almost two, since I started the course and we've been in Rio de Janeiro, visiting and doing sessions.

"Last year we were at the Club World Cup in Los Angeles and in New York, and also in Doha in December. And now this Friday it's Miami. On Sunday, I'm going to Atlanta and back in the same day to watch Spain vs Saudi Arabia."

I imagine you'll also be just another Albiceleste fan. Will you be able to attend any Argentina matches?

"Yes, I'm seeing if Argentina. If they finish first, I think they will play against the second team from Spain's group. They play on July 3rd in Miami, so I'm keeping an eye on that.

"Anyway, I'm coming back on Wednesday. And let's see how things go. If Argentina finishes first, they would hypothetically play either Spain or Uruguay. Although for now, both have drawn their two matches. Theoretically, it would be Argentina vs Uruguay if everything goes as expected, but you never know.

"Anyway, at home, my kids are all in for the World Cup and they're supporting both teams. My wife is from Seville, she's Spanish, the oldest was born in Seville and the other two in Italy, but they're split between Argentina and Spain, so either one is fine."

If you bring Spain luck against Saudi Arabia and both Luis de la Fuente's team and Argentina finish top of their groups, the two teams wouldn't meet until a possible final.

"Exactly, exactly. They'd meet now in the round of 16 or otherwise in the final. So let's see how that goes. I have two kids as well, one supports Spain and the other Argentina, and they switch too, so we're enjoying it."

'I was part of a generation that's hard to repeat'

Looking back at your international career with Argentina, I think there are two key moments. The first is that Olympic gold you won with a golden generation, with Messi and Di María. What memories do you have of winning Olympic gold in Beijing 2008?

"Argentina at that time had a very good generation of players. Besides the Olympics, I got to win the U-20 World Cup in 2007. Out of the last six tournaments, Argentina had won four, and in 2007, we had Aguero, Di María, Banega... So there was pressure to win, because in the end we were the last ones to win a U-20 World Cup for Argentina.

"But since Argentina was always winning, there was a bit of favouritism and pressure to win. The truth is, we had very good generations. I got to win that one in 2007 with those players and in 2008, also the Olympic gold with Messi and Riquelme.

"Argentina produced a lot of players, was quite dominant in youth football, and I got to experience that last stage for Argentina. On one hand, we were the favourites with so many good players and such a strong team, but then you still have to win, which is never easy.

"We faced Brazil, and honestly, we beat them pretty well, 3-0. Ronaldinho was there, Marcelo was there... In the end, despite being favourites, you always have to win; it's never easy. I was lucky to be part of that generation, which I think is very hard to repeat with so many top players. All of them top, top."

You also had the chance to represent Argentina at a World Cup, specifically in Russia 2018. Maybe things didn't go as expected, but I imagine representing your country at a World Cup must be the greatest thing for a footballer, right?

"Yes, honestly, playing at a World Cup is incredible. I got to play in the Champions League, and a lot of important things at club level. But playing at the World Cup, and especially the way Argentinians live it, which is the event we all wait four years for, there's nothing like it.

"In sporting terms, we were unlucky that things didn't go as we wanted. But we faced France, who on paper, in terms of players, were the best team along with Argentina, and we had to play them in the round of 16. We lost 4-3 and were close to taking it to extra time. It was a very close match and that's how a World Cup is. In one match, anything can happen and we lost to what I think was the best team in that World Cup."

'In LaLiga, everything was very close from 10th place down'

At club level, Sevilla, where you won the Europa League twice, had a turbulent season but finally achieved the goal of staying up. The extraordinary atmosphere at the Pizjuán in the last few matches really stood out. How did you experience this season, with excitement, with anxiety?

"Yes, especially taking the kids too, who want to go to the stadium. It was a tough season because Sevilla was fighting for survival almost until the last matchday and suffering, suffering a lot. I think it was very close, the level from 10th place down in LaLiga. Any of the bottom 10 teams could have been relegated, even Valencia, who have been fighting to stay up for years.

"It was all very close, honestly, apart from the top five: Barcelona, Madrid, Villarreal, Atletico de Madrid, and Betis. I didn't see big differences. Then Sevilla pushed a bit more at the end, but it was all very even.

"The fans helped; you could see they were in a tough situation and responded, and then the team managed to win those three matches in a row, so they didn't have to fight for survival on the last day. It was a tough season for Sevilla fans."

From one team that suffered last season to another. A team who doesn't have seven Europa Leagues like Sevilla, but did win the second-to-last one. We're talking about Tottenham, who, despite playing in the Champions League, have had a tough time in the Premier League.

"Yes, same. With Tottenham, I watched the matches and didn't think they had such a bad team to be fighting relegation.

"Looking at Sevilla, I saw everything was very close. I thought Sevilla, Valencia, or Rayo, who played the Conference final, or Getafe, who started winning and finished seventh, could all have gone down. I didn't see any really bad teams in LaLiga, even though Oviedo went down earlier.

"I thought Tottenham would be safe, mid-table, at least 10th. Same with West Ham, they ended up going down and had to fight it out with Tottenham, but I didn't think they had a bad team. Still, everything was very even at the bottom of those leagues."

And to finish on a positive note, Roma. A team, like Sevilla, with an extraordinary fanbase finally achieved the goal of returning to the Champions League. They finished third and you have a fellow countryman who you know well, Paulo Dybala, as well as Matias Soule. How have you followed the Giallorossi's season from afar?

"Yes. It was about time Roma qualified for the Champions League again, because it's a big club in Italy and the last time they played in the Champions League was in the 18-19 season, with me.

"It had been about seven or eight years since they qualified for the Champions League, and for a club like Roma, that was pretty tough. Finally, this year it happened.

"At the end of the season, it looked like Juve would finish above them. But Roma raised their level in the last matches and AC Milan and Juve dropped theirs. It was a great end to the campaign because finally, such a big club like Roma could return to the Champions League."

Thank you very much, Federico

"Thank you very much. If both Spain and Argentina win the World Cup, I'll be happy and the whole family at home will be cheering for those two teams and those two countries. So hopefully one of them takes it."