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Argentina made history this summer and became the first country to host the World Cup on a different continent. No team has done this since Brazil in 1962. Achieving it would cap Lionel Messi’s career. But how realistic is it again?
“I hope Argentina can still do it,” said former captain Javier Zanetti Sky Sports. “Argentina came to this World Cup prepared with a good mentality and a good team,” he added. Then comes the inevitable note of caution. “But it’s very difficult to repeat.”
France, though, came agonizingly close to retaining football’s most famous trophy in Qatar, bucking even that trend. The previous three countries that participated in the World Cup to defend their trophy were all eliminated in the group stage.
Germany finished bottom of a group featuring Sweden, Mexico and South Korea in 2018 In 2014, Spain lost their opening match 5-1 to the Netherlands Italy backed a group including Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand in 2010
Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro reacts during the 2010 World Cup defeat to Slovakia
All of which made Brazil’s quarter-final run in 2006 seem like a relative triumph. The only other attempt to defend the crown this century began and ended in humiliation as France failed to win a game in 2002, lost their opener to Senegal and were relegated.
What makes it so difficult? The problem often stems from the desire to retain the core of the winning squad. Coming up short on the biggest stage can lead to offense, a natural tendency to rebuild. Success encourages players and coaches to stick around.
Marcello Lippi quit the Italy job after winning the World Cup in 2006 but was lured back two years later. Fabio Cannavaro, his captain, missed Euro 2008 through injury but couldn’t resist one last crack at it – with an overwhelming result.
He was 36 and his career in European club football was already over. After leaving Italy, Maurizio Crossetti republic Wrote: “Cannavaro is an ex-player and the rest are almost all cooks. We were world champions and we made the world laugh.”
Vicente del Bosque’s fight with Spain four years later was even more surprising as they won each of their three previous major tournaments. But in Brazil, his team is seen at a pace. Xabi Alonso and Xavi Hernandez later retired.
Newspaper front page in Madrid after Spain’s 5-1 defeat by the Netherlands in 2014
Four years later a similar problem arose for Germany in Russia as Jogi Low kept faith with an aging group. Sami Khedira, once the engine of the midfield, is 31 and unable to fill the same role. Twice he found himself hooked before the hour mark.
Mesut Ozil, once perpetual pace, was another whose game changed. He never played for Germany again. Lowe neglected to appreciate that, over time, the character of a squad can change even if – or perhaps because – The names are the same.
Could the same be true of Argentina’s 10 out of 11 starts since the 2022 World Cup finals? They will believe they can be more like the France of those years than their predecessors but there are some uncomfortable parallels.
Any Liverpool supporter will know that Alexis McAlistair is hopeful of reproducing the lung-busting run through the France defense for Angel Di Maria’s opening goal in the World Cup final in Qatar. He looks like a different midfielder now.
and Mac Allister among the younger. Nicolas Otamendi is now 38 years old and is joining River Plate from Benfica after the World Cup. Lyon left-back Nicolas Tagliafico is 33. Then there’s Messi himself, now in his fourth season in Major League Soccer.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi rests with his teammates during training
Messi is still delivering in his mouth. He came into the tournament in form and Argentina kept up the results. They won the Copa America in 2024 and topped the table by some margin in qualifying for South America as Messi’s overall top scorer.
Zanetti sees his presence as only positive. “I think it’s a bonus to have Messi these days,” he explained. “He is the best in history. For me he is the best in the past, the best now. This will be his last World Cup but he is still the captain.” For him, this is a reason to believe.
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Watch as Lionel Messi joins his Argentina teammates to defend the World Cup
“The truth is that having him on the field always gives you a certain calmness because you know you have a player who can make a difference at any moment,” Zanetti added. “And I think it helps that he’s surrounded by great players.”
Argentina has some young blood in this squad, hopefully the players can bring new motivation. Most notably, there is huge excitement over the prospect of Nico Paz, who has expressed a desire to help lead Como to the Champions League.
Argentina’s Nico Paz brings fresh blood to the 2022 World Cup winners this time
Valentin Bercow, once of Brighton and still only 21, appeared as well. Atletico Madrid’s Giuliano Simeone would be a useful alternative to Lionel Scaloni. “Experience is there,” Zanetti noted. “But there are also a lot of young players. There is a mix.”
Even so, with Messi at the heart of their plans, it still feels like a bet by the old masters. Can he turn back the years and lead Argentina to the final once more? That means winning five knockout games in just 15 days at the age of 39.
The bond between Lionel Scaloni and Lionel Messi is crucial for Argentina
The understanding between Messi and Scaloni will be key. “Everything is very clear in the dialogue and the trust that they have and the relationship that they have developed over the years. He will try to make sure that Messi can continue to be an important player at the World Cup.”
Yet, the great man is also pushing his luck here. Messi had a perfect finish in Qatar but returned hoping for more glory. It will be really exciting. And yet, the ghosts of World Cup past suggest this is unlikely.
