Joe
With the South American World Cup qualifiers just days away, Argentina’s national team is fine-tuning its strategy as they prepare to defend their position at the top of the standings.
The reigning world and Copa America champions, under the guidance of head coach Lionel Scaloni, face a challenging double-header against Chile and Colombia.
A major talking point heading into the matches is the absence of Lionel Messi, sidelined due to an injury.
In a surprising move, the coaching staff has added AS Roma star Paulo Dybala to the squad at the last minute.
Dybala, who recently declined a lucrative offer from a Saudi Arabian club to remain with Roma, has long been admired by the Argentine staff despite not being a regular fixture in recent call-ups.
The first match of the qualifiers will see Argentina face Chile in Buenos Aires on Thursday, September 5th, followed by a critical away game against Colombia on September 10th.
The latter fixture is a highly anticipated rematch of the Copa America 2024 final.
In addition to Messi’s absence, this round of qualifiers will mark the first time Angel Di María, another Argentine icon, will be watching from the stands following his retirement after the 2024 Copa America victory.
The squad announcement also featured some unexpected names, including former NYCFC forward Taty Castellanos, adding intrigue to Argentina’s lineup.
Just when it seemed the roster was finalized, the late inclusion of Dybala has added even more firepower to Argentina’s attack, signaling Scaloni’s intent to maintain their dominance as the qualifiers heat up.
