As previously discussed, we are now less than a year away from the 23rd iteration of the World Cup, set to take place in North America.
The tournament will be hosted in Canada for the first time, the USA for the second time, and Mexico for a third time. There has already been plenty of discussion, largely for off field issues. Here though, we are going to keep things on the pitch, and review the sides most fancied to go all the way.
It only feels right to begin with defending champions Argentina. Things are mostly the same from the side that became champions of the world for a third time back in the winter of 2022, although a couple of key things have changed.
Firstly – Angel Di Maria is no longer around. The 37-year old had planned to retire after the 2022 tournament, but reversed his decision. He played for another 18 months – being awarded man of the match in the 2024 Copa America final, before finally retiring from the national team for good. His performances at the Club World Cup show that the winger has “still got it”.
Secondly, Lionel Messi is not 35 anymore. Although far from his physical peak in Qatar, he has slowed down since. That’s normal, that’s just how physics work. He is still a top class player, as he showed with his free kick against Porto. But he is not quite as good as he was in 2022.
When you look elsewhere, things are generally the same. Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez are still fighting for that starting berth up front. Emiliano Martinez is still saving the day between the sticks. Cristian Romero is still locking it down at centre half. When Lisandro Martinez is fit, his place in the team over Nicolas Otamendi is one of the few changes from last time out.
At the Copa America last summer, we saw a formidable partnership struck by Martinez and Romero. In just six games, and 570 minutes of action – Argentina conceded just one goal, a stoppage time equaliser from Ecuador in the quarter-final.
It remains to be seen whether Martinez will be the same player once he returns from his ACL injury, but Scaloni has made Argentina such a well oiled machine that other central defenders can come in and still perform well.
For example, Marseille defender Leandro Balerdi has made his first two starts for the national team during their World Cup qualifying campaign – keeping clean sheets both times against Peru and Chile. Whilst not the best opponents, it shows just how good a collective has been built over the years.
The aforementioned Otamendi has performed well next to Romero too, and like Di Maria, he has been showing in the Club World Cup that he still has the ability to perform at the top level.
Regulars from the 2022 World Cup such as Nicolas Tagliafico and Nahuel Molina are still starting regularly, with Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel still keeping them on their toes. Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo de Paul are still playing regularly in midfield.
In March, Lionel Scaloni’s side were able to beat Brazil 4-1 without Messi, in an incredibly dominant performance. Results elsewhere meant they had qualified for the World Cup before kick off, and it was certainly a performance to celebrate that.
Football doesn’t always have to be complicated. The current defending champions of the World and of South America – with many things still the same, have to be seen as one of the clear favourites for the World Cup next year.
