The Argentina team at the World Cup in Qatar

2022-11-12T11:09:38.540Z

The 'Scaloneta' arrives undefeated since 2019 and with the illusion of giving Messi his first World Cup

The plan

The Argentine team arrives at a World Cup in peace for the first time in a long time.

Excited, but calm.

The team has its greatest strength in the group and that is highlighted over and over again by its players, beyond the fact that the team works on the pitch at a collective level, with a fluid and solid vertical game.

The current cycle began at the end of 2018, after Jorge Sampaoli's disastrous period as coach, which ended with his elimination from the World Cup in Russia in the round of 16, among other failures.

Lionel Scaloni, who was part of that coaching staff, took over as interim coach for a brief period ahead of the year-end commitments and the 2019 Copa América. Argentina played irregularly, but the Argentine Football Association (AFA ) ratified the coach at the helm of the team and ahead of Qatar 2022. Criticism grew amid his decisions to leave out the glories of the past, who complained about ceasing to be part of the team.

However, in 2021, the national team and especially some players, including Lionel Messi, managed to remove a stigma that they had carried for almost 30 years: winning a great title.

Ever since Argentina won the Copa América at the mythical Maracaná by beating Brazil, a classic rival, in the final, everything has gone further.

In June, the team won the Final against Italy 3-0 at Wembley, which earned them another cup.

Since 2019 they are unbeaten in 35 matches, two short of Roberto Mancini's Italy record (2018-2021).

The generational replacement worked and managed to bring together figures with experience, such as Leo, the captain, with new faces who enjoy the game.

Argentina intends not only to fulfill its dream, but also (and above all) that of

La Pulga

Many believe that football owes Messi a World Cup.

Argentina Ranking

group C

Argentina

Saudi Arabia

Mexico

Poland

The star, the unsung hero, and the selector

Leo Messi

Lionel Messi is the captain and emblem of the team.

At 35 years old and in his fifth World Cup, he will finally try to fulfill that dream that keeps him awake at night: lifting the World Cup.

Without the explosion and deployment of other years, but with the teaching of experience, Leo has found his ideal role in the Argentine team, in which he feels comfortable and happy.

The Copa América took the weight of history off him and he will arrive at Qatar 2022 better than ever.

Christian Romero

For many years, Argentina did not find that player in the defense that gave them confidence when it came to defending and facing the most fearsome strikers in the world.

Until Cristian Romero arrived,

El Cuti

, a Tottenham player who was only 22 years old.

He was one of the last to join Lionel Scaloni's team, just two weeks before the 2021 Copa América. With him on the field, the team has not lost a game.

Lionel Scalloni

Lionel Scaloni is one of a kind.

Although he was working on the national team's coaching staff, he had no experience as a team manager.

In fact, that was the reason why he received so much criticism in his early days.

However, he surrounded himself with figures from other times such as Pablo Aimar, Roberto Ayala and Walter Samuel to create this team.

The consecration in the Copa América immunized him.

The public loves him.

He generated recognition and has the bonus of having made Messi smile.

The fans call their team

La Scaloneta

, a kind of bus in which everyone travels towards the illusion of Qatar 2022.

Position on Qatar

So far, no player from the Argentine national team has spoken publicly about political, cultural or religious issues in the host country.

National anthem

The Argentine national anthem is a patriotic march created in 1812 and approved by the General Constituent Assembly of 1813, at the time of the formation of the Argentine State.

It was written by the poet and assemblyman, Vicente López y Planes.

It would have been sung for the first time at a gala for politicians that year, but it was published in 1847. It is a call to the values of freedom and the rejection of the oppression of the colonizers.

The music is by Blas Parera and corresponds to the lyrical genre.

The cult hero of all time

Maradona during a match at the 1982 World Cup. Mark Leech (Getty Images)

Pelusa

lifted the World Cup in Mexico 1986. In the quarterfinals he was the great figure in the 2-1 victory against England in which the play that was immortalized as

The Hand of God

and also the most beautiful goal took place

of his career, just four years after the Falklands War between the two countries.

Diego and the Argentines understood that this wound was hardly sutured, even if it was with a sporting joy.

World Cup career

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