Di Maria or Messi… who is the real champion of Argentina’s glories?

Argentina’s loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final brought back a question that had been put on hold since Angel Di Maria retired from international football two years ago: Did Lionel Scaloni’s team, the real champion tango dancers, miss out on the big matches?

After Ferran Torres’ goal in the 106th minute of extra time, a number of numbers emerged linking Di Maria’s presence in major finals to the team’s performance, re-opening the old debate about his impact on the biggest dates, both numerically and tactically.