Overview
- On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, Pekerman told ESPN he deliberately gave Lionel Messi his World Cup debut in 2006 but did not bring him on against Germany because the squad was highly competitive and he viewed Messi as a player for the future.
- Pekerman said the quarterfinal substitution decision has continued to affect how people judge his career and described the match as a defining negative moment for his reputation.
- He confirmed that Boca Juniors contacted his circle about a possible coaching role but that conversations never advanced to a formal offer and he did not speak directly with Juan Román Riquelme.
- Pekerman defended Juan Fernando Quintero after the player’s exit from River Plate, praising Quintero’s unique qualities and saying selection choices belong to current coaches who must justify them.
- The 76-year-old emphasized he has chosen to remain out of coaching since leaving Venezuela in 2022 and framed these comments as retrospective reflections rather than signals of an imminent return to management.