Led by Messi, Argentina announced the list, can it turn things around?
The Argentine national team last week announced its final squad for the 2024 Copa America. The main leader is naturally Messi, who will wear the No. 10 shirt and strive to create good results in this tournament. In addition to Messi, a number of superstars such as Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria are also on the list, who will fight alongside Messi to defend Argentina's honor.
In recent years, the Argentine national team has repeatedly failed in major competitions and failed to achieve the desired results. Back in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Argentina, led by Messi, went all the way to the final, but lost to Germany at the last minute and unfortunately won the runner-up. In the 2015 and 2016 Copa America, Argentina reached the final again, but was reversed by Chile respectively, and won two consecutive tournaments but fell short.
The losses over the years have been a huge blow to the Argentine players. As the core of the team, Messi has been questioned and blamed. Some commentators believe that despite Messi's outstanding personal strength, he lacks the leadership temperament to step up at critical moments, which directly leads to Argentina's repeated defeats and repeated missed championships in major tournaments.
In the past two years, the situation of the Argentine national team has improved significantly. A large number of new stars such as Araujo and Alvarez have begun to make their mark in the team, and they have contributed fresh blood and brought new energy to Argentina. Veterans such as Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and Otamendi have also maintained their excellent form, and their experience and composure will provide solid support for the team.
Some people believe that the strength of the Argentine national team has been significantly improved compared with before. On the offensive line, Messi, Aguero, Di Maria and others formed a "hammer" attacking group, and the firepower was enough to make any opponent tremble. In midfield, the likes of Otamendi and Marcos Rojo will play a key role in supporting the team's attack, while also shouldering the responsibility of organising the defence.
Argentina's defence remains a concern. Although there are veterans such as Romero and Martinez in the guard, they are already older and their fitness has declined. The emerging young centre-backs such as Molina and Martinez are still inexperienced, and the systematization and coordination of the defence still need to be improved. If Argentina's defence does not perform well in the tournament, then their hopes of winning the title will be slim.
Argentina's bench lineup is also a big concern. In addition to the main team, the team's bench strength is relatively weak, which will be a big concern when encountering injuries or playing away from home. If the main team is injured, Argentina's combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced, which will have a huge impact on their prospects in the tournament.
In the squad announced by Argentina this time, Messi is undoubtedly the biggest attraction. As the leader and core of the team, Messi will once again wear the number 10 shirt and lead Argentina to the Copa America. For the 34-year-old Messi, this could be the last major shock of his career, and he will definitely give it his all.
Messi's achievements at club and national level are well documented, and he has led the team to major trophies on several occasions. At the national team level, Messi has not yet been able to lift the World Cup or Copa America trophy, which is undoubtedly a big regret in his career. If he can finally win this Copa America, it will be the best footnote of Messi's career.
In addition to Messi, Argentina's squad this time also includes Aguero, Di Maria, Lautaro and other popular superstars. They will play alongside Messi and play for Argentina together. This squad is undoubtedly one of the strongest in Argentine history, with a lot of offensive firepower. Defensive shortcomings remain, which could be the biggest stumbling block to their championship.
Judging from the list, Argentina's midfielders Otamendi, Rojo and others will play a key role. They are experienced and commanding, and will provide strong support for the team's attack, while also shouldering the responsibility of organising the defence. In the back line, although there are veterans Romero and Martinez to guard, they are old and their physical fitness has declined, and the systematization and coordination of the defense line still need to be improved.
Argentina's bench lineup is also a big concern. In addition to the main team, the team's bench strength is relatively weak, which will be a big concern when encountering injuries or playing away from home. If the main team is injured, Argentina's combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced, which will have a huge impact on their prospects in the tournament.
Regarding the squad announced by Argentina this time, experts, scholars and fans have different comments and expectations. Some experts believe that Argentina have a strong squad and plenty of attacking firepower, and as long as there are no major mistakes in the defence, they can fully hope to do well in the Copa America.
There are also experts who have reservations. They believe that the Argentine defense is indeed a big hidden danger, and if there is a mistake in the crucial moment, it will be difficult to win no matter how good the attack is. The lack of reserves in the bench may also drag down the team in the long run.
From a fan perspective, their reaction to Argentina's squad this time has been mixed. Some fans are confident in Messi's squad, believing that this is Argentina's strongest squad in years and will surely produce a good result in the Copa America.
However, some fans are skeptical, believing that Argentina have repeatedly lost in the past few tournaments, and it remains to be seen whether they can turn things around this time. Some fans even bluntly said that if they miss the championship this time, then Messi's legendary career will leave regrets.
Whether it is experts, scholars or fans, they are generally looking forward to Argentina's good results in the Copa America this time. Argentina is a traditional powerhouse, with top stars such as Messi, and its strength should not be underestimated.
It would be a milestone moment for Argentina to finally lift the Copa America trophy this time. For Messi personally, it will be the last Grand Slam of his career; For Argentina, this will also be their first achievement in a major tournament after many years.
For Argentina, this Copa America has both opportunities and challenges. They have a strong squad, but there are also some shortcomings to be aware of. I believe that under the leadership of Messi, Argentina will be able to fight the field and bring impressive results to the country and fans.