In a hand of truco, that ancient card game so deeply rooted in Argentinathere is a 0.0005 chance that the same player will get the ace of spades and the ace of clubsthe two highest cards on the scale of values. The National Team has played with at least one of those players uninterruptedly for the last 11 years.. This Thursday, 91 games later, not even Lionel Messi -injured- nor Angel Di Maria -the protagonist of a very emotional recognition in the preview- were inside the playing field of the Monumental stadium to the victory against Chilebut there was something much more important than an individuality: the team.
La Scaloneta is a registered trademark that added another chapter in the 3-0 for the seventh date of the South American Qualifiers. It is one of the historic achievements of world football. It is logical, however, that this dimension will be taken when this era is coming to an end. Hopefully it won’t happen, but sport is cyclical like that. Only then will we miss these days of red palms of applause and hoarse throats of goals.
For an increasingly long time now, it is known that The Argentine National Team is a guaranteeHis recovery after loss is envied and highlighted by the entire football world, his possession is fluid, he circulates from side to side with patience and trying to choose the best way to finish his attacks.
That which perhaps was lacking in the first half against the trans-Andean team led by Ricardo Garecabut there was still plenty left over after Alexis Mac Allister’s goal, when the fans began to sing the typical ‘olé, olé’ to accompany the movement of the Albiceleste passes like a chorus.
Scaloni manages abundanceit has been said during the recent Copa América. And that is noticeable, precisely, in the absences. When the coach born in Pujato, who played 78 matches (and won 56) on the cold night of a Monumental with an atypical appearance due to the reduced capacity in the two lower stands due to the Conmebol sanction, looks back, he finds all the possible variants.
That a game structure does not weaken due to the absence of a certain name is a merit of the coaching staff, but also of the players. Because they embrace the new players without egocentric vision. Without thinking that they will come to take their place, but that, if they chose them, it is because they came to make them better.
The party was completed with the superb left-footed shot from Julián Álvarez and the fourth goal from Paulo Dybala with the national team shirtFate, like a wink, wanted him to wear the number ’10’ just in the absence of the Rosario star, the ace of spades.
There is room for everyone on the Scaloneta. Even to continue giving Alejandro Garnacho some playing time or to give Valentín Castellanos his debut, who has never played in the First Division in Argentina.
Yes even Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínezin a game already settled, that viral save is saved who has made his legend even bigger with 34 clean sheets for the national team. Everyone has a personal goal, that’s undeniable, but above all there is the collective goal.
And the fans understand it too, as they stayed to accompany the masters of ceremonies. Rodrigo De Paul y Lautaro Martinez -two of the figures of the victory against Chile- with their chants, while they took the victory lap with the Copa América, to which ‘Fideo’ Di María joined to receive a new ovation.
He summed it up well Cristian ‘Holiday’ Romeroone of the flags of this team: “This group is very solid. We continue with the desire to take the National Team to the top. We transmit the message to the boys who are coming.. Even though it seems like we’ve already won everything, we want to go for more. Nobody gave us anything for free. Something beautiful was created with the group and we don’t want to lose it. Surely people feel identified with us.”
Argentina may be left without the two most important cards in the deck. But this story does not end there, because there are still 38 more cards that are still up to the task of filling showcases…
