Argentina can legitimately be considered one of the favourites to win the World Cup, and defend their crown. However, compared to some of their rivals, La Albiceleste arrive with plenty of question marks hanging over them.
Lionel Messi will turn 39 in June, Angel Di María is no longer part of the squad, and a series of friendlies against underwhelming opposition has generated some concern. The 2-1 win over Mauritania in March, for example, felt more like a promotional exhibition than a meaningful test capable of revealing the team’s true level ahead of the tournament.
After that match, Emiliano Martínez even welcomed the cancellation of the Finalissima against Spain, remarking: “Thankfully it wasn’t played. If we had performed like that, we would have lost.”
For now, Argentina’s first objective appears well within reach: Advancing from a group that also includes Algeria, Austria and Jordan. What happens after that remains to be seen. One thing is certain, though; that some of the aura that surrounded the team after its 2022 triumph seems to have faded.
