A tactical preview for Argentina National Football Team playing in Copa America 2024
Defending champions Argentina will be aiming to retain their Copa America crown once again this summer. Lionel Messi‘s side will be the highlight of the competition and the veteran is expected to be at his sharpest when the tournament commences on June 20.
Led by coach Lionel Scaloni, the La Albiceleste have one of the most stacked squads on paper. Argentina is expected come out and put on a performance that showcases the squad is ready to defend its Copa America title.
On that note, let’s take a look at their current squad and possible lineup.
Predicted lineup of Argentina National Football Team playing in Copa America
Argentina has boasted some of the sport’s top talents among their ranks for the last decade or so. The World Champions will be coming into this tournament as favourites and begin their defence against Canada on June 2024.
In goal, we have Aston Villa‘s No.1 Emiliano Martinez who will return as the number 1 goalkeeper for Argentina this summer. He played a starring role in Argentina’s recent success in the World Cup. So far, Martinez has managed 38 appearances for La Albiceleste registering 28 clean sheets in the process.
In defence, we have Cristian Romero and veteran Nicolas Otamendi who will take up the central starting berths, while Marcos Acuna and Nahuel Molina will take their designated full-back positions. Romero and Otamendi has been Scaloni’s preferred defensive duo since the World Cup. The squad will also have Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez as backup.
In midfield, the Argentina National Football Team consists of many Premier League and La Liga stars. Enzo Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes and Giovani Lo Celso are solid options for the sitting role, while Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister will play as the number 10.
Angel Di Maria, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, and Lionel Messi make up one of the star-studded attacking options, while Alejandro Garnacho and Angel Correa are two solid options as backup.
Argentina Predicted Lineup: E. Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Romero, Acuna; Mac Allister, De Paul, Fernandez; Messi, Alvarez, Di Maria.
Also Read: Argentina Squad for Copa America 2024: Who’s in and Who’s out, Key Players and Predicted Line-Up
Team Strengths
One of the top-seeded teams in the world, the Argentina National Football Team are the favorites to retain its Copa America crown in the United States this summer. Let’s take a look at some of their strengths and weaknesses.
- World Class Stars – Argentina are the most celebrated team in Copa America and has always had some of the best talents in the squad that can turn a game on its head. Their captain, Lionel Messi is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. They also have the likes of Premier League stars Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Alexis Mac Allister.
- Blisterring form – Argentina were the recipient of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Since then, they have put together an outstanding run of form, winning nine of their matches in 2023.
- Raw young talent – Due to the uniqueness of each player’s profile, Argentina has some talented young players who can adapt to different roles. This could cause problems for the opposition teams.
Weaknesses
- Lack of Team Effort – It has been widely known that Argentina has always been reliant on Lionel Messi. But Argentina’s supporting cast finally helped Messi to the Copa America and World Cup triumphs.
- Defence – As seen in the past, Argentina have made great starts to tournaments but their defence has been one of the weaknesses in their star-studded squad. In Qatar, they had one of the biggest upsets when they lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their opening game of the 2022 World Cup.
Argentina Copa America 2024 Key Players to Watch Out For
- Lionel Messi – The Argentina captain will once again be at the forefront of the national team in what could be the last Copa America of his illustrious career. Messi has already reached double figures with Inter Miami this season.
- Julian Alvarez – The versatile forward has had a great season with Manchester City, scoring important goals at crucial moments and registering 54 appearances across all competitions. Alvarez concluded his 2023/24 title-winning campaign with 19 goals and 13 assists.
- Alexis Mac Allister – The Liverpool midfielder will have the opportunity to show his mettle once again on the biggest stage. He had an impressive start to his Liverpool career and have already been reported for a move to Real Madrid.
Conclusion
While the Argentina National Football Team has the same ingredients they required to achieve success in the World Cup 2022, Lionel Scaloni’s future as Argentina’s boss looks uncertain after this tournament.
Also Read: Brazil squad for Copa America 2024: Who’s in and Who’s out, Key Players and Predicted Lineup