World Cup 2022 team guides part 9: Argentina
This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2022 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 20 November.
The plan
This is the first time Argentina arrive at a World Cup in peace. Excited, yes, but also calm. The greatest strength is the team’s collectiveness, the fact that everyone works hard for each other and that has been highlighted again and again over the past four years. Everyone in the team – in the squad in fact – knows their role: this is a well-oiled machine.
The current cycle began towards the end of 2018 after Jorge Sampaoli’s disastrous spell in charge, which included a last-16 exit from the Russia World Cup and off- and on-field problems. Lionel Scaloni, who had been an assistant to Sampaoli, took over on an interim basis – together with Pablo Aimar – and the former Deportivo La Coruña and Lazio player never looked back.
His contract was extended to include the 2019 Copa América, in which Argentina finished third, and finally to include the same tournament two years later as well as the World Cup. Argentina have not always performed well under Scaloni and there were times when the team looked unsure of how to play, confused even, but slowly things came together.
Scaloni discarded some players who were coming towards the end of their careers and stood by his decisions to form a cohesive unit that goes into the World Cup undefeated in 35 games, only two short of the record set by Roberto Mancini’s Italy between 2018 and 2021. Scaloni was criticised in the beginning but that noise has gone away now.
Part of that Argentina run included winning the 2021 Copa América, the country’s first major title for 28 years. Beating Brazil in the final at the Maracanã made the triumph even sweeter. In June Argentina won the “Finalissima” against Italy 3-0 at Wembley with an utterly dominant performance.
The team has a mix of experience and youth and, of course, Lionel Messi. Argentina go to Qatar with the aim of winning the World Cup, it is a dream for the whole country and, above all, “La Pulga”. There are many in Argentina who feel football owes Messi a World Cup.
The coach
Lionel Scaloni is an outlier. He had only ever been an assistant coach before taking charge of Argentina, and that is partly why he was so heavily criticised early on. However, he surrounded himself with figures he trusted from his playing days – Aimar, Roberto Ayala and Walter Samuel – and changed the narrative. Winning the Copa América and making Messi smile made Scaloni pretty much immune from criticism and thefans love him. They call the team “La Scaloneta”, which is a kind of bus on which everyone is riding towards Qatar 2022.
Star player
Lionel Messi is the captain and emblem of the team who, at the age of 35 and going to his fifth World Cup, is still hoping to fulfil his dream of becoming world champion. He has lost a little speed and explosiveness but instead has found a comfortable space in the national team. He is happy and that bodes well for him and the nation. Winning the Copa América lifted a weight of international failure off his shoulders and there is a feeling he will have his best World Cup.
Unsung hero
For many years Argentina were looking for a defensive leader to give them the stability and confidence to thrive in attack. Then along came Cristian Romero, “El Cuti”, and everything suddenly seemed fine. He is only 24 but has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water after his move to Tottenham from Atalanta last year. He was one of the final pieces ofScaloni’s jigsaw, arriving in the team just before the 2021 Copa América, and has yet to lose a game with Argentina.
Probable lineup Qatar stance
Just as with other South American countries the Argentinian Football Association (AFA), the players and the coaching staff have been quiet on the subject of the issues concerning the host nation, whether that is LGBTQ+ rights or the plight of the migrant workers. It is quite rare that players take a stance on political issues so don’t expect anyone to break ranks – the country is focused on bringing home the World Cup.
National anthem
The Himno Nacional Argentino was written by the clearly multi-talented politician Vicente López y Planes and the music composed by Blas Parera and approved by the general constituent assembly in 1813. Initially it included a strong anti-Spanish sentiment, which was taken out in 1924. It starts “Hear, mortals, the sacred cry: ‘Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!’ Hear the sound of broken chains. See noble equality enthroned.” But because of the anthem’s length often at sporting events only the instrumental intro is played.
All-time cult hero
Diego Armando Maradona, who else? “El Pelusa” won the World Cup for Argentina in Mexico 1986 with the quarter-final against England particularly memorable. Coming four years after the Falklands war that victory was huge for Argentina and immortalised Maradona, his Hand of God goal and one of the most brilliant individual strikes the tournament has ever seen. Argentina went on to beat Belgium in the semi-final and West Germany in the final. Make no doubt about it – this was Maradona’s World Cup.
Vanesa Valenti writes for La Nacion. Follow her here on Twitter.