On February 4th, Alejandro Garnacho's strong statements ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg away at Emirates Stadium were seen as a morale boost for Chelsea.
But top-level football doesn't measure a player's value by words. It demands performance. And in this respect, Garnacho is far from the standard needed to even think about having a chance to participate in the 2026 World Cup.
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Garnacho is losing himself. |
Silence on the field, noise off the field.
The League Cup semi-final against Arsenal is clear evidence of this. Garnacho came on as a substitute, but was ineffective. He couldn't win any one-on-one duels, couldn't get the ball forward, and didn't create any game-changing moments.
Chelsea lost 0-1 and were eliminated with an aggregate score of 2-4. In such a big match, the job of an attacking player is to make a difference, but Garnacho didn't. What fans remember him for more is his controversial pre-match statement: "If Manchester United can beat Arsenal, then we can too."
After 27 appearances for Chelsea this season, Garnacho has only scored 6 goals and provided 3 assists. These numbers aren't bad for a young player, but they are far from convincing considering he's been given numerous opportunities and plays for a team competing on multiple fronts.
Comparing the data only makes the picture colder. Bruno Fernandes has been involved in 18 goals, Amad Diallo 10, and Matheus Cunha 9 despite frequent injuries. Garnacho stopped at 9 under more favorable conditions in terms of the number of matches played; the actual statistics don't favor him.
Speaking on Sky Sports , Gary Neville pointed out that the biggest problem wasn't his technique, but his mentality. "He looks like his confidence has been completely eroded," Neville commented.
A winger who loses confidence also loses his most important weapon: the ability to win one-on-one situations. And the reality on the pitch shows that Garnacho is struggling in the very situations that made him famous.
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Garnacho needs to quickly return to the form that Chelsea fans want to see most. |
Faith lost in home.
Garnacho's struggles are clearly exposed not only to Chelsea fans but also to Argentinian supporters. With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, questions about his place in the Argentinian squad are becoming increasingly prominent.
A social media user on X posted a picture predicting Argentina's World Cup lineup, which included Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, and Garnacho in attack. Immediately, many opinions suggested Garnacho should be removed from the lineup because he didn't deserve it. One account even sarcastically commented that if Garnacho were removed and replaced with any mediocre attacking player, Argentina could win the World Cup again.
It's clear that Argentina doesn't lack attacking players. They need consistent, effective, and resilient players, not controversial individuals who make statements only to deliver poor performances.
In the national team, there's no room for "gradual learning." The 2026 World Cup is a tough tournament that takes place over a short period, so only the top-performing stars will be worthy.
In this context, Garnacho is losing on both fronts: form and image. A player who is both underperforming and putting pressure on himself with ill-considered statements will find it difficult to impress the national team's coaching staff. Advice like "boosting his morale," or being mentioned in online debates, will not help him get closer to the World Cup.
Time is still there, but there's no waiting. If Garnacho doesn't quickly improve his consistency, regain his confidence in his signature moves, and prove his worth with goals and assists in big matches, the prospect of the 2026 World Cup will only be a topic of discussion… outside the squad list.
Source: https://znews.vn/garnacho-tu-lui-buoc-truoc-world-cup-post1625722.html
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