There’s a huge contrast in the mood Argentina And Brazil from World Cup three month ago. Of course, for Argentina, Qatar 2022 is a triumphant moment that is almost too dramatic to put into words, and even sweeter than dramatic. A first World Cup in 36 years and a win for Lionel Messi At 36 years old, the script could hardly be more perfect.
Meanwhile, Brazil limped home with a long journey made worse by another defeat to European rivals in the quarter-finals. And although many Brazilians are happy to see Messi have his day, any sporting reaction to their neighbor’s win adds to their feelings of bitterness towards their team. They did it, so why can’t we?
Three months later, the contrast was maintained as the teams took to the field for the first time since the World Cup.
Argentina is in full celebratory mode. On Thursdays they hold Panama in Buenos Aires, by next Tuesday, head north to Santiago del Estero to take over curacao. Opposition doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t matter if Panama comes to Team B. This is hardly a football game. They are an extension of the crazy scenes when the team flew back from Qatar after the tournament and tried to march in the streets. had to turn into a passing helicopter because there are so many millions of people in Buenos Aires to catch a glimpse of them.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (USA)
Thursday’s game was an event, a fun gathering, and there was a football game somewhere in between. Before the game started, there was a DJ, bands, a movie about coach Lionel Scaloni and his men and in unison singing “Muchachos”, the national anthem of the fans in Qatar. . There was another band at halftime. After the final whistle, the world championship trophy will be handed out and then more bands will bring the crowd into the night.
The World Cup team has been called up. Decisions will soon be made on the 35-year-old trio. Midfielder’s rotation Nico Otamendi is definitely coming to an end. The case of Messi and angel di maria more refined. Scaloni has insisted that a plane seat to the next World Cup is theirs if they want it, but it is too early to tell if this is a real possibility. And while Scaloni has plans for the future, it’s too early to think about that. What Argentina really wants to do in the next few days is throw a party.
Brazil, on the other hand, is someone else’s party guest. They play Maroc in Tangiers on Saturday, with the hosts looking to celebrate their arrival in the World Cup semi-finals. Coach Walid Regragui has reunited the squad he brought to Qatar.
Against such continuity, Brazil is in a strange state of change. They have an interim coach, under-20 boss Ramon Meneses, who will likely only be in charge of this game. Until the upcoming June days of FIFA, he will be busy with the world U20 tournament in Indonesia. It is hoped that then a big-name European coach will be appointed, with Carlo Ancelotti at the top of the wish list. At some point, a new project will be launched. In the meantime, there’s Meneses’ idiosyncratic project.
Leave the things you like Gabriel Martinelli And Bruno Guimaraes Leaving the team prompted the coach to face accusations that he did not follow their games too closely. This is almost certainly true. In January and February, the Meneses took hold of the South American Under-20 Championship, a tournament with such a tight schedule that there isn’t much time for anything else. Five players from that team were promoted. muscular central defender Vitor Roque could also see some action on Saturday, along with the right-back Arthurwho promises to be the solution to what has become a surprisingly problematic position for Brazil.
At the other end of the age scale, Thiago Silva injured, and his time in the national team may be over anyway. And with Marquinhos also forced to withdraw, the match will be an opportunity to see how Eder Militao Meet the senior midfielder.
Right in front of him there might be a debut for André belong to chimney, is considered by many to be the best in the new generation of defensive midfielders. And in the event that no one is injured Neymar there is a chance for Rodrigo belong to Real Madrid to enhance his claim to be the future versatile brains of the Brazilian attack.
So the meeting with Morocco is not an occasion to put Brazil’s collective play under the microscope – this particular team may never be assembled. But there will be much to learn about individual performances. How these players deal with the excitement of the Moroccan party will help the future coach gauge whether they can contribute to Brazil’s quest to regain some of their own euphoria.
