Lionel Messi is not the only Argentina legend winding down a remarkable international career.
While an injury kept the 2022 World Cup-winning captain out of the Albiceleste’s World Cup qualifiers this September, Angel Di Maria’s absence is a little more permanent.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain winger announced his international retirement after Argentina’s victorious Copa America campaign back in July.
So, to quote South American expert Tim Vickery, those clashes with Chile and Colombia provided ‘a glimpse at Argentina’s future’.
And, while Lionel Scaloni’s side did dispatch Chile pretty comfortably, a poor 2-1 defeat to Colombia on Tuesday night will do little to calm the fears of supporters fearing the prospect of life after Messi and Di Maria.
Alejandro Garnacho the rising star of Manchester United
“Messi is out injured, and you don’t know how long he’s going to be going on,” Vickery tells talkSPORT.
“So this is a glimpse at Argentina’s future, with Julian Alvarez in the Messi role. They did alright (against Chile and Colombia). But, without Messi and Di Maria, there is a lack in the final third of that fella who can dribble.
“The one who can break the lines and do something special.”
The good news is that, while one old generation enters it’s autumn days, a little sprig of green is emerging from underneath the fallen leaves.
Vickery feels that Alejandro Garnacho is not only a big part of Manchester United’s future but Argentina’s too.
In an era where wingers tend to play things a little safe – ‘wide playmakers’ are all the rage these days – Garnacho is a refreshing throwback to the days of thrusting acceleration and long solo surges.
No wonder Ryan Giggs likes him so much.
The Carrington graduate is only just getting started too. And, at 20, it would be unfair to measure him up against the storied successes of Angel di Maria and Lionel Messi.
But having already made himself indispensable to Erik ten Hag’s Man United plans, Vickery feels that it may be only a matter of time before the ‘electric’ Garnacho finds himself settling into a key role on the international stage with Di Maria gone and Messi now 37.
“I think this is a big season coming up for Garnacho at United,” Vickery adds. “He could be the one – maybe not starting, maybe off the bench – but he could be the one. The line-breaker, if you like.
“So, a big season coming up for him.”
A first Argentina assist in World Cup qualifying
Scaloni has been keen not to pile too much pressure on Garnacho early on, introducing the former Atletico Madrid starlet slowly into the senior set-up.
Garnacho featured only once at the Copa America and was left on the bench against Colombia. He did, however, provide his first ever Argentina assist in that 3-0 triumph over Chile a few days earlier, laying the ball back for Paulo Dybala to fire into the far corner.
“We didn’t have Leo (Messi), Angel won’t be there, and we need to see players who can come in,” Scaloni told La Nacion, mirroring Vickery when suggesting that this is an Argentina side in transition and under pressure to blood the next generation.
“Alejandro came in and did everything well. (But) we need to take it slowly, calmly, like with the younger players.
“He did what he did, which was very good.”
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