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— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) July 14, 2024
“I dreamed of retiring in this way. I have so many beautiful feelings,” Di Maria said. “I will be eternally grateful to this generation, which helped me achieve what I had always wanted.”
Argentina didn’t make a statement with their football; they lifted their 16th Copa America trophy by refusing to lose. Perhaps it’s true that the Argentina shirt, and everything it represents, can win matches on its own.
Colombia had not lost in 28 matches before Sunday. Their joyful style in this tournament had enamoured neutrals throughout. Captain James Rodriguez inspired his team to their third final and there was a sense before kick-off they could do it. Their flair on the ball and tenacity made them dangerous opponents.
It took until Lautaro Martinez’s 112th-minute goal to extinguish those hopes.
Martinez after scoring the extra-time winner (Juan Mabromata/AFP)
“Of the two finalists, one of them is setting a new era,” said Colombia manager Nestor Lorenzo. The 58-year-old Argentine was a player and teammate of Diego Maradona when Argentina lost the 1990 World Cup final to West Germany. On Sunday, he spoke about the pain of losing a final and empathized with his players. Lorenzo reiterated that this version of Argentina is more than just a fortunate turn of events.
Argentina couldn’t win anything for 28 years until Messi and this group of players ended that drought at the 2021 Copa America.
“This group has now been with Scaloni for seven years — I congratulate them,” Lorenzo said. “It’s been a spectacular cycle. They’re not on a streak, this is a new era for the Argentina national team. But we’re just getting started.”
This Copa America exposed some of Argentina’s vulnerabilities. Teams found success by attacking them on the wings and they struggled to put games away. Even though Martinez, the Inter Milan striker, ended the competition as top scorer with five goals, Argentina never found the net more than twice in a single game.
The Copa America, though, has never been about style. If that were the case, Colombia would’ve been crowned champions before the final even kicked off. When asked about his team’s form, Scaloni always avoided an answer that lent credence to his side’s subpar performances.
Scaloni celebrates Argentina’s victory over Colombia (Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images)
With his wife and children inside the Hard Rock Stadium press conference room, Scaloni quashed the idea that Argentina had lost the ability to please, aesthetically.
“It’s gratifying to watch this group play,” he said. “Mentality is an important factor, but if you don’t play well, you don’t win. The team — beyond the fact that it was a tough, difficult, hard-fought match — played well and had scoring chances. If you don’t play well, there are other ways to win.”
Scaloni’s path to legendary status will be dissected for decades. His style of man-management and his history as a player have made him the perfect match for this team. He has introduced young players into the squad because the generational change is coming. But Scaloni has held on to veteran leaders such as Nicolas Otamendi, also 36, because experience is still valuable.
The culture that Scaloni has established feels unbreakable. He is unafraid to sit important players such as Di Maria or Martinez on the bench if the game calls for it. The players know their roles.
“I still have two years left,” Scaloni said when asked about his future. “But if the (federation) president offered me a 15-year contract, I’d sign it. The problem is that contracts have to be honored. What if I’m fired in year one? They’ll have 14 years hanging over them!”
As Argentina’s players celebrated on the pitch, Scaloni dodged staff members and walked directly towards Messi, who was hobbling gingerly. Scaloni hugged his captain, lifted him off the ground and planted a kiss on his cheek. Scaloni then embraced Di Maria tightly before sprinting towards Otamendi and jumping into the big center-back’s arms.
It was a message of gratitude towards the players who had suffered before guiding Argentina toward this era of success.
When Otamendi, Messi and Di Maria lifted the Copa America together as confetti floated around them, one couldn’t help but wonder if this era will soon have a new beginning.
(Top photo: Di Maria, Messi and Otamendi with the Copa America trophy. Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Publish date : 2024-07-14 13:00:00
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