Messi or no Messi, Argentina has turn out to be the crew to beat in world soccer

What does life appear to be for Argentina within the post-Lionel Messi period — at any time when that lastly occurs?

Nicely, judging by their present run of type issues look fairly good for the Albiceleste ought to the world’s best participant determine to step down from worldwide competitors following Sunday’s Copa America last (8 p.m., Fox, Univision, TUDN) — win or lose.

Extremely unlikely, nonetheless stranger issues have occurred.

What soccer followers have witnessed during the last 5 years has been the rise of an Argentina crew that hasn’t seen a nation be this dominant in world soccer since Spain was the preeminent No. 1 within the mid-2000s.

Picture by Jasper Juinen/Getty Photographs

Spain, which performs earlier within the day in opposition to England within the European last (2 p.m. ET, Fox, Univision), took house the 2010 FIFA World Cup, sandwiched by a pair of European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

Argentina is poised to duplicate that success if they will defeat Colombia, after successful the 2021 Copa America and capturing the World Cup in Qatar the next yr. It’s been a crew that since a loss to Saudi Arabia within the first spherical of the World Cup has gone unbeaten, as Lionel Scaloni’s males are sitting on a powerful unbeaten streak following the 2-0 semifinal win over Canada.

Picture by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP through Getty Photographs

What extra can Messi do?

As for its fearless chief in Messi, his profession has collected nearly each award one might seize for membership and nation.

Now, in a transfer to Main League Soccer’s Inter Miami FC, he’s turn out to be the face of the league and has maintained his stage of sport in what’s purported to be thought-about the twilight of his fabulous profession after debuting as a 17-year-old long-haired teen in 2003.

“Everyone knows he’s the best participant to ever play the sport,” stated Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch earlier than the Copa America semifinal sport in opposition to Argentina. “There may be worldwide respect for who he’s and … I believe it’s a privilege to play in opposition to a participant like him.”

However right here’s the factor. The place Messi has been the face of the Argentina for over twenty years, the participant pool — and particularly this Copa roster, comprised of lots of the identical gamers that gained the World Cup — is arguably among the best proper now.

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The numbers inform Argentina’s story

Right here’s the rundown:

• There are 19 gamers who’ve 20-plus appearances for Argentina, with seven gamers boasting over 50 caps and three gamers in Messi (186), ahead Angel Di Maria (144) and defender Nicolas Otamendi (117) have over 100 appearances.
• Solely two gamers, one in every of them being Messi don’t play for a membership in a prime European league — the opposite being backup goalkeeper Franco Armani, who’s the goalkeeper for River Plate, one of many prime golf equipment in Argentina.
• Argentina which had a mean age of 27.9 within the World Cup, acquired a bit older on this Copa run to the ultimate with a mean age of 28.3.
• The looks of Argentina in its semifinal match in opposition to Canada was the eighth time since 1993 the the nation has been on the brink of a championship and now, its second straight look after that 2-0 win.

In the long run, Messi or no Messi, that is an Argentina crew with sufficient expertise to proceed on a run of worldwide success. heading into the subsequent FIFA World Cup again which may even happen on American soil alongside Canada and Mexico in 2026.

And although it is perhaps a last hurrah following 2026 as this present corps will solely grow old, however it’s a trip that has put Argentina on the map because the world’s No. 1, a spot that in all probability gained’t change — even when they arrive up brief in opposition to Colombia.