Israel national football team coach: Jerusalem is far more important to me than Messi

Israel national football team coach Alon Hazan said Wednesday that the cancelation of the warmup soccer match scheduled to take place between Israel and Argentina on Saturday in Jerusalem was surprising and disappointing.

"With all due respect to Messi, if the match is canceled because it was supposed to take place in Jerusalem, I wish him and Argentina the best of luck. As an Israeli and a Jew, Jerusalem is far more important to me than Messi and Argentina," the coach added.

"Messi is the greatest of his generation, but Jerusalem is forever," he went on to say.