Scaloni's Argentina
In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Lionel Messi was not only Argentina's top scorer but also the top scorer in the entire South American region (8 goals). At the 2022 World Cup, Messi scored 7 goals – just one goal behind top scorer Kylian Mbappe (France). Besides Messi, only one other Argentinian player scored more than one goal: Julian Alvarez. As everyone knows, Argentina won the 2022 World Cup, but that's not the only historical detail related to the team.
Argentina is the only team in the history of South American football to have won the two biggest tournaments three times in a row (Copa America 2021, World Cup 2022, Copa America 2024). This is comparable to the impressive record of Spain during their tiki-taka era (winning EURO 2008, World Cup 2010, and EURO 2012 consecutively).
Photo: TV360
Coach Lionel Scaloni has retained most of the familiar faces from the Argentina national team that participated in the 2022 World Cup.
PHOTO: AFP
The difference between Spain's and Argentina's two historic "hat-tricks" lies in the head coach. Initially, Spain's EURO 2008 victory was seen as a mere coincidence. Coach Luis Aragones immediately left the national team after the triumph, replaced by Vicente Del Bosque. This figure, who had spent almost his entire career with Real Madrid, continued Aragones' tiki-taka style, primarily using Barcelona stars, to win the 2010 World Cup and EURO 2012. Argentina, however, was quite different. Coach Lionel Scaloni began leading the team in 2018 amidst widespread criticism and skepticism. Argentina performed poorly at the 2019 Copa America. Instead of sacking Scaloni as fans called for, the Argentine Football Association chose to patiently wait. Scaloni's playing style gradually took shape, leading to spectacular success with three consecutive championships. This was absolutely Scaloni's Argentina, not a continuation and development of an old foundation, like Spain under Del Bosque.
Will Messi shoulder the responsibility of scoring goals?
Because it's "Scaloni's" team, Argentina has changed very little at this World Cup. On the one hand, few coaches change the formula that has brought them success in top-level football. On the other hand, every coach has their own perspective and philosophy. Even if they themselves want to change and innovate their own style of football, it's not easy. Despite being the greatest team in history (at least that's the subject of debate, and there are only two subjects for debate: Spain under Del Bosque and Brazil under Pele), Spain suffered a humiliating 1-5 defeat against the Netherlands in their opening match at the 2014 World Cup, and were eliminated after the group stage. That's not necessarily a lesson for Scaloni's Argentina. But observers cannot help but look at Spain immediately after that glorious peak, and cautiously wait to see Argentina's performance at this World Cup.
Never before in history has a team entered the World Cup with 17 familiar faces who had lifted the trophy four years earlier, like Argentina did at this World Cup. Scaloni's Argentina should have been even more unchanged. Angel Di Maria's absence was simply his own decision. Juan Foyth couldn't participate in the 2026 World Cup due to injury. And Nico Gonzales and Giovani Lo Celso (in the current squad) didn't participate in the 2022 World Cup because of last-minute injuries. This almost entirely intact Argentina wouldn't have changed much in terms of playing style. And would Messi still have to shoulder the responsibility of scoring goals?
Argentinian football has always been renowned for its ability to produce talented strikers. Lautaro Martinez will attack the penalty area with ferocity, as if there were no defenders around. Julian Alvarez threatens the defenders, not the other way around. Behind them are always many talented midfielders: Enzo Fernandez, Alexis MacAllister, Rodrigo De Paul, or the emerging young talent Nico Paz. The question is, is there any other way, besides trying to get the ball to Messi's feet in the final moments – for a shot or an assist? The problem here isn't that Argentina is easily predictable because of their familiar formula. The problem is that the power of MacAllister, Alvarez, Martinez… will not be fully exploited.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cho-xem-argentina-vi-dai-nhat-lich-su-185260615182645449.htm
