In the first Argentina match of the post-Messi period, Lionel Scaloni used the occasion to sketch the next attacking picture: Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez together, Nico Paz given room to create, and a new generation introduced without being asked to carry the entire weight of the side at once.
Key takeaways
- Scaloni started Nico Paz, Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez, but does not see an automatic place for Franco Mastantuono alongside all three.
- Álvarez played the full 90 minutes as Argentina seek to restore his rhythm and confidence after his Atlético de Madrid difficulties.
- The coach explained that José López’s arrival did not mean Álvarez had been mistakenly left on the pitch.
- Nico Paz was praised for his established international and European level, while Mastantuono was described as a different type of attacker.
- Leonel Flores made an immediate impression in his 10-minute appearance, though Scaloni stressed the need to protect the young Boca winger.
Balance before brilliance
Argentina’s new forward line is likely to be examined closely in the absence of Messi, particularly with the possibility of pairing two natural centre-forwards in Álvarez and Lautaro. Scaloni, however, made clear that selection will remain a matter of balance rather than simply fitting every available talent into the same XI.
“A coach is always trying to find the right balance,” Scaloni said. “With Julián, Lautaro and Nico, we already had enough to add another player, although it remains an option. There is a balance that, in my view, cannot be broken. That is one of the difficulties of the job.”
Álvarez was one of three Argentina players to stay on for the entire match. He worked hard but did not find the goal he had repeatedly pursued, and there was a moment when José López, known as El Flaco, was preparing to enter that suggested the Atlético forward might be replaced.
Scaloni said Álvarez had assumed as much because the coach had told him at half-time that a change after 20 or 25 minutes was possible. “There was no mistake,” he explained. “Julián needs minutes and needs to play, so I chose to keep him on. Lautaro had already played and scored. In that situation, even if he does not want to come off, it is better to take off the player who is happier.”
Paz, Mastantuono and the need for patience
Nico Paz’s display brought further attention to the player many see as a possible creative reference point in this Argentina side. Scaloni resisted placing too much of the burden on him, grouping him with Mastantuono, Prestianni and the other emerging players pressing their case.
“Nico’s contribution was important, just as Franco’s was, and Prestianni’s, and that of the younger players coming through,” the coach said. “Nico was at the World Cup, has been with us for some time and is performing at a high level in Europe.”
Scaloni drew a distinction between the two young attacking options. Mastantuono, he said, is more explosive and more accustomed to operating from wide areas, whether as a winger or behind a striker. Paz is closer to a traditional No. 10, though he can also play wider with a different profile. “Each gives us something different, and we are fortunate to be able to enjoy them,” he said.
The same restraint framed his assessment of Flores, the quick and skilful Boca academy winger who left his mark during a brief 10-minute outing. Scaloni said the instruction for young players was simple: reproduce what earned them their call-up at club level.
“Flores does this for his club, and it would be a concern if he arrived here and stopped doing it,” Scaloni said. “He must continue because he does it very well. But the most important thing is to look after him. At his age, people need to stay close and support him. Boca know how to handle him. He is a talent who must be protected if he is to give us results.”
For Scaloni, the challenge is to avoid turning one promising cameo into an obligation. “We cannot demand that Flores repeats in every match what he did in 10 minutes today,” he said. “It would be extraordinary. Perhaps he can do it, but we have to go calmly.”
