Hard hit by Covid-19 during the holiday season, Lionel Messi took longer than expected to get back into shape.
Thus, since the start of the year, the sevenfold Ballon d'Or has not started a single match with PSG only coming into play against Reims (4-0) last weekend.
Aware of not being able to count on his playmaker in top form, the Argentina coach has therefore chosen not to retain him for the Albiceleste rally which started this week.
Scaloni therefore had to appoint a new captain.
And it is Angel Di Maria who will wear the armband on the night of Thursday to Friday for the match against Chile (1:15 a.m. French time), as part of the World Cup qualifiers in Qatar for which Argentina has already validated his participation.
The Argentine coach lifted the veil on this mystery during the last press conference: “We would like him (Messi) to be here.
I had a conversation with him and he told me that the Covid was affecting him a lot... It is important that he recovers physically and I decided that the best thing is that he does not come in bad conditions.
The captain in his absence?
Di Maria.
He's the good one, he has a lot of experience with the national team.
»
It will not be the first time that Di Maria (33 years old, 118 caps, 22 goals) will wear the captain's armband with his selection.
The first was on October 12, 2013, in a home victory against Peru (3-1).
In total, “ADM” has already worn it five times for as many victories.
Leandro Paredes, who made the trip with Di Maria, should also be a starter.
Brazil, also qualified, plays in Ecuador this Thursday (10 p.m. in France).
This should be an opportunity for Parisian supporters to see a central defense made up of Marqquinhos and Thiago Silva at work.
