was one step away from the 2026 World Cup and is still the best team in the world

The Combined closed another glorious year. It is true that the team was losing shine as the months went by and that the game no longer looks as polished as in previous years. But the decline is understandable, logical. And also very friendly, if you take into account that in this same 2024 the cast that commands Lionel Scaloni stayed with the United States Copa Américawhich finished at the top of the South American Qualifiers table to be one step away from the 2026 World Cup, and which also maintains the number one position in the FIFA ranking thanks to this final 1-0 against Peru in La Bombonera due to a great goal from Lautaro Martinez.

It cannot be said that Argentina played well against Peru, but it did not play badly either. He deservedly won, he handled the ball a lot and well, and created several dangerous situations in the goal defended by Pedro Gallese. Much more: Emiliano Martínez did not touch the ball. However, the feeling that the Scaloneta does not fly like before is not capricious. Perhaps the hustle and bustle of the season weighs on players who add minutes and kilometers to the point that they are already raising their voices to stop the ball. Anyway, Argentina says it is present and wins when it has to, despite the fact that in recent times it left points along the way due to the falls against Colombia and Paraguay and with the draw against Venezuela.

Lionel Scaloni chose to put the most logical teamwith the usual scheme (4-3-3) and with the usual performers, although without the injured Nahuel Molina and Cristian Romero. The coach had warned that this could be the last time for some because he wants the players to be starters on their European teams. And the coach managed to wet the players’ ears because they came out fired up, hungry and thirsty to play the duel of the Bombonera, which beat to the rhythm of La Doce, which at halftime and at the end of the duel sang against River.

Thus, Enzo Fernández became the axis and also recovered several balls in the rival field, while Lautaro Martínez dressed as Julián Álvarez to chase them all. Lionel Messi moved where he usually does and Alexis Mac Allister, who was inside left, came close to scoring on two occasions in the first half. It is known that the arrival to the rival area is one of the best attributes of the son of the Colorado and he loses it when he plays as a midfielder or as a striker, like against Paraguay. TArgentina had possession and good circulation, it also generated several dangers. The clearest was a shot against Álvarez’s post after a pass from Lautaro.

But Argentina lacked overflow, especially on the left wing. There Julián Álvarez felt uncomfortable againwho a Scaloni collaborator had to ask him to play close to the wing because he was centralized. Araña was obedient, although he hooked every time he received one-on-one play with the rival defender. Only in the second half and after Lautaro’s goal, the Córdoban player found more spaces to impose himself with his power.

The game was resolved between Messi and Lautaro and there is Scaloni’s message. He Tour He is, along with Dibu and Cuti Romero, the best performing footballer today. The Bahi native breaks it at Inter Milan, where he is a figure and captain. The same does not happen to his colleagues from the Scaloneta, who have been losing ground. And it was Martínez who unlocked the game with a spectacular goal after a pile-up from Messi on the left. The message that remains: to score the goal that El Toro scored, to achieve that confidence, you have to break it Sunday after Sunday.

It is also true that much more is usually asked of the teams that star and handle the ball throughout the minutes. But in today’s soccer and with the physiques of the soccer players, it is very complex to pierce a defense that compacts and shrinks spaces like Peru did. Patience then is a virtue and that bean must be added to the Scaloneta.

Argentina lacked goals and clearer chances. However, the Peruvians were too poor, who did not even come out with the disadvantage.

The image of Messi when the Colombian Wilmar Roldán marked the end of the duel can summarize the level of the Scaloneta in this glorious end of the year: The man from Rosario raised his hands to greet the fans who filled the Boca fieldhe hugged and laughed with his teammates, shook hands with the Peruvians and quickly went into the locker room with more seriousness than joy. In short, that of the Flea was the postcard of someone who is satisfied with what has been achieved, but not fully satisfied.