Doubts remain about Lionel Scaloni’s appearance, but there is a growing sense that a great finale could be in the cards.
Argentina went to Russia in 2018 with the feeling that now or never. He had lost in the final of the last World Cup. A wonderful generation of aging offensive ability. Lionel Messi, 31, two years earlier was flirting with foreign retirement after a back-to-back Copa America final loss to Chile. And finally, the Argentine Football Association had decided to appoint Jorge Sampaoli a dynamic and progressive coach who promised to repair the days. of Bielsist optimism.
Messi scored a brilliant goal, against Nigeria and there was a fierce start against France in the knockout stages, but the last World Cup was a big disappointment. There was a mediocre draw against Iceland and an embarrassing defeat against Croatia.
Meanwhile, the work-beaten, gray-faced and sweaty Sampaoli failed to triumph over the basic incompatibility of Argentina’s fleet of heavyweight defenders with his call for tough pressure and superior line.
It was transparent that he had to go, but the AFA, sclerotic and torn by factional infighting, was on the verge of bankruptcy even before paying his contract. When Lionel Scaloni, the former West Ham full-back, was appointed to upgrade him, first as goalkeeper, his greatest quality was that, having been hired in the past as Sampaoli’s assistant, he was cheap.
Argentina fell into pessimism: the production line that brought five U-20 World Cups between 1995 and 2007 was damaged and Messi’s powers seemed to weaken.
Sometimes, however, things get better. Last year, Argentina beat Brazil at the Maracana to win the Copa America. It was one more tournament added to the calendar to raise money for impoverished federations under the guise of renewing the calendar and was largely a soulless event played in a vacuum. stadiums through players who had blatantly thought of as a boycott. But for Argentina all that mattered was that the drought of the 28-year trophy was over. And now the Scaloneta, as this aspect has known, can contemplate more.
Messi’s story has been dramatically unsatisfying because it lacks shadow. Since arriving in Barcelona at the age of 13, he has been, at least at club level, absurdly consistent and relentlessly successful. There were none of the ups and downs of opera that characterized life. of the wonderful hero with whom he will have to be compared. Diego Maradona suffered a serious ankle injury, hepatitis and cocaine addiction.
Messi was angry with his teammates. Perhaps this is the glory towards which his career is headed, leading Argentina at 35, after all seemed lost, to an unlikely third World Cup.
This is the romantic vision, encouraged through Messi’s exceptional form for Paris Saint-Germain. But as with Argentina, there are practical problems, largely similar to the AFA’s incompetence.
It’s only been a year since Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Brazil was scrapped when police and fitness officials entered the field in an attempt to arrest 3 players for alleged violations of Covid protocols. Christian Romero missed Friday’s friendly against Honduras in Miami after alleged visa delays. caused by the holiday declared by the funeral of the Queen. “It’s a problem,” Scaloni said, “because it’s the last date we have to meet and train, he can’t be here. “
But that’s not the only problem. There is frustration in Argentina because the UEFA Nations League is denying them the variety and quality of opponents. The 3-0 win over Honduras extended Argentina’s unbeaten streak to 34 games and is expected to approach Italy’s record of 37 opposing matches. to Jamaica on Tuesday.
The fact that Italy’s record set between two World Cups for which it did not qualify, even if it included good fortune at the European Championship, perhaps indicates the price of those statistics, but perhaps more applicable is that Argentina’s career includes only 4 matches against non-Latinos. American sides.
They were impressive in beating Italy 3-0 in the Copa Finalissima, the meeting between the winners of the European Championship and Copa America at Wembley in June, but that aspect, before Friday, was the only one that opposed an aspect alien to Conmebol in the last three years. -0 friendly win against Estonia. This is not a preparation for the World Cup that no one would plan.
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However, the nature of the victory at Wembley eased at least some of the anxiety. “When we played against Italy, some questioned our ability to face European teams,” Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo De Paul said. “But against the last European champions,” the team did very well. I do feel that we are going at a different pace.
Honduras was a different challenge, muscular and competitive, less than an ideal friendly opponent in that regard as well. But the Scaloneta was unfazed. The top three may not have the brilliance of the Argentine forward lines of the recent past, but there is a balance and they work well together. Messi moves away from the right to function as the number 10 and from this position he created the two goals before the break, the first with a ball collected above to lick his fingers (papu gomez center and shot by Lautaro Martínez) and the moment with a slipped ball (withdrawal Papu Gómez; penalty of Messi).
The third target was a chip from Messi, perhaps not as delicately brilliant as the one that faced Mexico in 2007, but more than enough to inspire those who would do so in the power of storytelling. through Benfica young midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The structures work.
Doubts remain, especially in the still problematic area of the sides. Neither right-back Gonzalo Montiel nor left-back substitute Marcos Acuña play for their clubs. Angel Correa and Joaquin Correa are usually on the bench of Atletico and Internazionale. Angel Di Maria fought hard to buy time at Juventus. The AFA is still the AFA.
But they have a trend and a style. They trust. They would have liked more exposure to the more sensible European opposition, but Messi’s dream of a grand final is alive and well.