Alejandro Garnacho scores twice for Chelsea in 3-2 loss vs. Arsenal

Argentina hasn’t improved since the 2022 WC, just more of the same, no overall growth as a team. Scaloni’s plan is, if it works at the 2022 WC it can work again at the 2026 WC. At this point in time, Argentina should have had their new versions of Enzo, MacAlister and Julian Alvarez established in the national team but instead it’s the same old, same old players and tactics. No new players have been seriously integrated into the team since the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup. Winning the World Cup, the confidence this has instilled in an entire new generation of upcoming players should have already translated into the national team with the inclusion of the best young available players, but this hasn’t been the case. Like some of the ’22 World Cup winners should have already called it quits on their own terms, I don’t know why some of these veterans think they’re so pivotal, like come on, you’re not Messi. The only improved player from the 2022 roster is Tagliafico, to be honest, I was never his biggest fan but he is a really good player overall, a real professional. The Netherlands, France (mainly in defense and attack), Spain, Portugal etc. have all improved their overall team since the 2022 WC. Winning back to back world cup is very difficult so Scaloni will need to situate the team’s all-round approach and strategy.

Like there were friendly games against Puerto Rico and Venezuela, and who was called up? The same familiar faces play against a very young Venezuelan national team ( who didn’t qualify for the 2026 WC) and Puerto Rico. And what was the take away from both games? Nothing. These are the games where the coach could’ve summoned Alejandro Garnacho, Nico Paz, Emi Buendía, Mastantuono, Alan Varela, Equi Fernandez, Valentin Barco, Enzo Barrenechea, Milton Delgado ( from the recent U20 World Cup), Pablo Maffeo, Aarón Anselmino, Julio Soler, Joaquín Panichelli or Tadeo Allende (both these types of strikers give Argentina a physical presence with height in the attacking third, this will be a plus for Argentina at 2026 World Cup along with physicality). Does this mean all these guys will go to the next World Cup? No but at least it would have given the coach several options to look at in real time, giving everyone a fair assessment. Like how many times are we going to see the likes of DePaul, Paredes and Lo Celso who have been on the team since 2019? How many times do we need to see Otamendi? How many times do we need to see Molina? How many times do we need to see Nico Gonzalez? Like I get it, ”we need team chemistry” etc…Mind you, some of these guys have been playing together since 2019, what more chemistry do they need with each other, instead of calling up the same players for fringe friendly games, why not look at other alternatives? Now it’s too late because the World Cup is almost here. At the end of the day, it’s Argentina vs Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Angola. These were three wasted games which turned out to be pointless and a wasted opportunity. Should have just let Messi go to Angola by himself like he did in India instead of watching Depaul playing the whole 90 minutes.

The age factor tier 1
Tagliafico 33
Parades 31
LoCelso 30
Messi 39
Otamendi 37
Dibu 33
Acuna 34
DePaul 32
Dybala 32

The injury factor tier 2, players who are always injured
Lisandro Martinez (big question mark here, doubtful he stays fit at the WC)
Dybala (was injured at the last WC, doubt he will get through the next one)
Nico Gonzalez ( this guy won’t play a full tournament)
Cuti Romero (very concerning because he is the best defender on the team)
Messi. (very concerning as well, hopefully the coach manages his situation well)
LoCelso (this guy won’t play a full tournament)
Palacios (this guy won’t play a full tournament)
Acuna ( same, he won’t play a full tournament)

DePaul is not the same player anymore. His cons now outweigh his pros. DePaul doesn’t have the legs to run like he used to several cycles back which was an asset for his team. And he also tends to make silly unforced errors with his passing.

LoCelso is past his prime, people are still waiting on something that is never going to happen especially in a tournament like the World Cup. LoCelso will just give you a moment of brilliance with small spells here and there which won’t be enough at a tournament like the World Cup. With the humidity and the impact it will have on some players, LoCelso is guaranteed to pick up an injury which will likely keep him on the sideline during the next World Cup.

Parades is going to struggle at the World Cup, sure he has some neat passes but once the game gets physical and fast pace he tends to struggle, in the upcoming World Cup, I don’t see how this player can keep up especially in the knockout rounds.

I emphasized on these players because they were there from the beginning. Now we’re asking guys who were starting in 2019 to be major players at this year’s World Cup? From 2019 – 2026? I believe this team should add new faces and new blood especially in the starting XI. In 2026 Parades is now playing in Argentina and DePaul is playing in the MLS while LoCelso is always struggling with injuries at Real Betis, and when the player is available he is on the bench most of the time. Nothing is wrong with the Argentina league, it’s that when players like Parades move back to Boca Juniors it signals retirement phase. I could understand Parades selection if he’d just started to come into his prime years but this is not the case. Moreover, Parades had an underwhelming 2022 World Cup (almost cost his team the game against the Netherlands and had an unforgettable game against the Saudi’s), like he hasn’t gotten better since. DPL should not be automatic selections in 2026, like I could see one of them making the World Cup, but selecting all three players is like looking in the rearview mirror. The same goes for Otamendi.

Tier 1 + Tier 2: Is not a good thing for Julian Alvarez, he is going to do a lot of running which will limit his goal scoring threat in the attacking third.

So what is the strategy for Messi, will he start every game at the 2026 World Cup in the knockout rounds? The likelihood of playing extra time in the round of 32 and beyond is really high, so will Messi start every knockout game and walk around for 120 minutes if the team is not able to win the game in normal time? Or will the coach start Messi when he sees it necessary and instead bring him from the bench in other scenarios? For Messi to have an injury free World Cup the coach should have a strategy of when to start Messi and when to keep him on the bench. Don’t look for Messi to win player of the tournament again (although it’s not impossible), the overall approach should be keeping Messi fit until the 8th game. Messi winning back to back World Cup in 2026 as captain is way more important than the World Cup Golden ball. Messi should play enough minutes in the group stage which will give him ample time to score and take over Klose for the all-time goalscorer record even though Mbappe is right behind.

Garnacho, Nico Paz, Barco, Emi Buendía and Mastantuono should all be selected, and given the average age of the current Argentina national team, it’s going to be really hard to win the World Cup let alone doing it back to back. At current state Argentina will have one of the oldest if not the oldest roster at the 2026 World Cup. Given the summer conditions in the US, having a youthful presence throughout the roster will be very important. If the team doesn’t change its approach you’re going to have a lot of games like Argentina vs Ecuador at the 2024 Copa where they were barely hanging on, and the last 40 minutes against France (including extra time). Taking certain players to the 2026 WC because they won in 2022 hoping they will replicate the same performance four years later is very improbable. Messi said it best himself, to win the World Cup, a lot of things has to fall in place. So it’s up to Scaloni to recreate a different set of dynamics.

Argentina should be looking for their 2026 version of Enzo, McAlister and Julian Alvarez. They were Scaloni plan B at the Qatar World Cup when everything went south against Saudi Arabia in the opening game. So if Argentina is in quandary who will the coach turn to for his plan B at the 2026 WC? Lo Celso, Parades, Palacios? He will be going with the class of 2019? Barco and Emi Buendía can be breakout stars for Argentina in midfield at the next World Cup. You also have the option of selecting one of Varela, or Equi Fernandez, or Barrenechea, or Milton Delgado (breakout player at the U20 WC).

If Scaloni doesn’t reinvent the team/roster this is going to be a difficult World Cup year for Argentina. We already saw how difficult it was for Spain in 2014 and Germany in 2018..The coach can’t just rely on experience and familiar faces.

Cheers

With Almada and Mastantuono struggling for minutes, Garnacho’s performance today forced the coaching staff to rethink the forward options for the World Cup. I still believe Almada will be selected, as he is a different player when playing for the national team. The same applies to nico.G. However, it now appears the real competition is between Soùle and garnacho. Dybala is slipping down the pecking order and will need an exceptional finish to the season with Roma otherwise, he is out.