Will the squad named for Argentina’s World Cup 2022 campaign be sufficient to bring the South Americans their third World Cup?
Lionel Messi will captain a talented team selected by Lionel Scaloni in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup in Argentina.
The 2021 Copa America champions, the Albiceleste, will be one of the strong favorites to win the Qatar World Cup in 2022 thanks to the presence of players like Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, and Lautaro Martinez in their squad. In Group C, the two-time champions will compete against Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland.
However, Argentina consistently faces the same issue during World Cups. When there are too many attackers, the tactical plan becomes a Frankenstein’s monster to accommodate each forward. Then, a collision of individual stars occurs, sending shockwaves through the changing area. Soul-searching is triggered.
Qatar 2022’s preparations have been interestingly different. Argentina enters into peace with strong expectations but no pressure. By defeating Brazil in Brazil in the 2021 Copa America Final, they would finally end their 28-year drought for a major championship and exact revenge on two previous generations of players who had been written off as failures.
La Albiceleste made it to four Copa America finals and a World Cup championship game between 2004 and 2016, but they all ended in losses, each more heartbreaking than the one before it.
Argentina’s victory in 2017 signaled the beginning of a new era, and the 3-0 victory over Italy in La Finalissima (above) at Wembley demonstrated that it was no accident. Every game is now a cause for celebration among the supporters, as though this group were the Rolling Stones.
The players’ favorite moniker for them is La Scaloneta, which is named after their manager.
The disastrous Russia 2018 excursion marked the start of the house that Lionel Scaloni constructed. Scaloni, who was on shaky ground with board members who wanted to curtail Lionel Messi’s influence, first persuaded some of the old guard to stay, including Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi, and the since-retired Sergio Aguero, before persuading Messi to stay.
Scaloni also placed bets on players who had never played before, including Emi Martinez in goal, Nahuel Molina, who is now with Atletico Madrid, Cristian Romero in defense, and Rodrigo de Paul of Atleti in central midfield. In terms of strategy, Scaloni rejects all football dogma. In the same game, he will switch from a 4-2-3-1 to a 5-4-1.
Given that Argentina also has strength in depth and a very winnable group, the record 35-match unbeaten streak that began in July 2019 has some people saying it’s all too good to be true. It’s time to win a World Cup and rip the bandage off the ghosts of 1986 after scratching that 28-year trophy itch.
ARGENTINA WORLD CUP 2022 SQUAD
Argentina World Cup 2022 squad: The final 26-man team
- GK: Emi Martinez (Aston Villa)
- GK: Franco Armani (River Plate)
- GK: Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal)
- DF: Marcos Acuna (Sevilla)
- DF: Juan Foyth (Villarreal)
- DF: Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United)
- DF: Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon)
- DF: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
- DF: Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
- DF: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)
- DF: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla)
- DF: German Pezzella (Real Betis)
- MF: Angel Di Maria (Juventus)
- MF: Leandro Paredes (Juventus)
- MF: Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
- MF: Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)
- MF: Enzo Fernandez (Benfica)
- MF: Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
- MF: Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis)
- FW: Lionel Messi (PSG)
- FW: Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
- FW: Paulo Dybala (Roma)
- FW: Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
- FW: Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
- FW: Thiago Almada (Atlanta United)
- FW: Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla)
ARGENTINA TOP SCORERS
Here are Argentina’s top scorers from the World Cup thus far:
Lionel Messi scored 3 goals.
Julian Alvarez scored twice.
Enzo Fernandez and Alexis MacAllister score one goal.
ARGENTINA YELLOW CARDS
Here are all of Argentina’s athletes who have thus far been issued a yellow card at the 2022 World Cup:
Marcos Acuna, Gonzalo Montiel, one yellow
ARGENTINA MANAGER
Who will lead Argentina at the 2022 World Cup?
Lionel Scaloni has demonstrated that he is essential. The former Deportivo La Coruna wing-back, who had a forgettable loan spell at West Ham in 2006, went from caretaker to surprise manager. He was targeted due to his inexperience, but he quietly began a renovation. He guided a dependable group that captured its first major championship since 1993.
ARGENTINA STAR PLAYER
Who is the best player for Argentina?
Lionel Messi is having the time of his life in his fifth (and possibly final?) World Cup appearance, and his detractors have all but disappeared since winning the Copa America. Instead of dreaming of victory for Messi, Argentina now dreams of victory for Messi. The Flea always plays the full 90 minutes, regardless of the position; Scaloni just wants to keep him pleased.
How many athletes can Argentina bring to the 2022 World Cup?
As a special measure brought in due to the COVID-19 pandemic, national managers were allowed to bring 26 players to last summer’s European Championship for the first time at a major tournament, while last year’s Copa America, which Argentina won, allowed squads of 28 players.
As opposed to the customary 23-man rosters, 26-player squads will now be used for the World Cup in Qatar.
