MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Lionel Messi watched from the substitute’s bench as secondary captain Ángel Di María led Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Peru and first place of Group A within the last group stage match of the 2024 Copa America at Arduous Rock Stadium on Saturday evening.
The scene felt virtually overseas, given the Inter Miami CF determine has proudly worn the captain’s armband for Argentina in each main match since initially receiving the title in 2010. However after struggling an harm to his proper leg in the course of the match towards Chile on June 25, the teaching workers dominated out his participation for Saturday’s sport.
Years in the past, his absence would’ve despatched chills down the backbone of most teammates and supporters. La Albiceleste relied on Messi alone to assemble within the midfield, weave by way of defenders and rocket the ball into the again of the web to safe a victory.
However since supervisor Lionel Scaloni took over the mission, he vowed to make a long-lasting influence past any potential victory. He pledged to construct La Albiceleste right into a functioning staff that advantages from the presence of Messi, however doesn’t truly rely on it.
“We’re engaged on making a staff, and if we even have one of the best participant on this planet, which is Messi, even higher however we wish to kind a strong staff that offers off the picture that it will likely be tough to beat. That is why we’re targeted on placing collectively a staff that when Messi provides to it, is even higher,” he promised in 2019.
Scaloni could not have been on the sidelines towards Peru after being sanctioned by Conmebol for delaying the staff’s return to the pitch in the course of the match vs Chile, however his legacy might be seen in full drive.
The primary half of the sport noticed an aggressive Argentinian aspect, reaching the opposition field on a number of events after connecting from the backline and thru the midfield to document three pictures and revel in 78% possession. Gamers examined Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, forcing to make a pair beautiful saves to maintain the scoreline at 0-0 on the break.
However the actual magic kicked off within the second half, when Leandro Paredes discovered Di Maria from the midfield to provoke the primary goal-scoring alternative of the match. Di Maria solely retained the ball for a second earlier than reaching Lautaro Martínez simply contained in the field with a left-footed cross, permitting the participant to struggle off a defender and discover the again of the web. Supporters cheered on the stadium’s giant screens because the replay confirmed Di Maria’s cross to Martinez, emphasizing the way in which the 2 gamers communicated completely within the blink of a watch.
Argentina got a possibility to stretch the lead by way of a handball by Peru contained in the field, earlier than Leandro Paredes stepped up and hit the publish. Martinez then returned for a second purpose, receiving the ball off an extended cross from the center of the pitch earlier than weaving into the field for the right-footed shot over the goalkeeper. The Internazionale participant could have doubled the rating in a second of brilliance, however it was Enzo Fernández’s spatial consciousness that allowed him to grasp the place of his teammate.
Regardless of the missed penalty, La Albiceleste proved {that a} efficiently applied system by a collective can uplift even the gravest of errors as a result of a outcome not depends upon one particular person’s effort. Argentina concluded the match with 12 pictures, six heading in the right direction, 76% possession and two targets, all with out the well-known No. 10 on the pitch.
The efficiency obliterated any remnants of the Messi-dependency that after reigned supreme previous to 2019. Messi’s particular person brilliance beforehand carried victories, masking the weaknesses of an in any other case struggling staff. His sole efforts and distinctive imaginative and prescient of the game propelled La Albiceleste teammates to depend on discovering him on the pitch relatively than provoke their very own goal-scoring alternative. And when Messi struggled to attain the alternatives put in entrance of him, the staff struggled too.
Throughout Argentina’s second group stage match of the 2018 World Cup towards Croatia, Messi discovered himself misplaced beneath a complicated set of ways by then-manager Jorge Sampaoli. His determination to change from a 4-2-3-1 formation to an undefined 3-4-3 left Messi muted within the midfield, canceling out the staff’s best weapon. Argentina went on to lose 3-0, unveiling the defensive flaws that Messi as soon as labored tirelessly to hide.
When Messi did not do all of it on the pitch, Argentina fell brief. And the theme usually prevailed, reflecting an absence of trophies regardless of taking part within the 2014 World Cup last and 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals.
Now, six years after the peak of Messi-dependency on the World Cup, Argentina boast three main titles and a assured 2024 Copa America run with Scaloni on the helm, Messi as captain, and a functioning Albiceleste roster to reinforce his expertise.
Argentina will now put together to face an undetermined rival from Group B on July 4 at NRG Stadium in Houston Texas for the primary knockout match of the match. Messi could return, because the teaching workers continues to observe him on a “day-by-day” foundation. However the staff and fanbase not have to take a look at the diagnostic with worry and dependency, figuring out Martinez, Di Maria and Alejandro Garnacho — who made his beginning debut on Saturday — proved the job can present depth when mandatory.
Messi’s brilliance could now be loved and admired by teammates and followers, however not relied on as the only supply of pleasure this staff can present. The well-known No. 10 now types half of a bigger organism beneath Scaloni that can provide the Argentine inhabitants actual hope of changing into consecutive champions of the Copa America.