Bela after not being selected for the World Cup: “I will cheer from the side”

Fernando Belasteguín has officially played his last World Padel Championship as a player. This became clear when Argentina's national team coaches revealed their squad, and Bela's name was absent from the list. Following the announcement, Belasteguín addressed the decision in a video.

Belasteguín, who has had a long and brilliant career, announced earlier this year that he would retire as a player after this season. Since then, many have speculated whether he would still be part of Argentina's squad for this year's World Cup.

In the last World Championship, Bela played a crucial role in helping Argentina secure the gold medal after defeating Spain in the final.

However, it is now confirmed that Belasteguín will not participate in this year's edition.

– It’s been 20 years, from 2002 to 2022, that I’ve played for the Argentine national team. I can’t find the words to express what I’ve felt, what I feel for the Argentine jersey, and all the love you’ve shown me. I want to thank every member of the coaching staff and all my teammates throughout these twenty years. I step away after our latest victory with the Argentine team in Dubai 2022, which gave us the world champion title.

He continued:

– I wish the current team the best of luck, the coaches Rodri Ovide and Gaby Reca, the entire coaching staff, the APA president, and everyone going to Qatar. I hope Argentina wins the World Championship again. It will be very tough against a strong team like Spain, but I’m very happy with the team that will represent us. This time, I’ll be cheering from the sidelines, just as I did before 2022 when I wasn’t part of the squad.