Argentina Can’t Keep Asking Lionel Messi to Carry Everyone Else
Argentina survived 3-2 in extra time against Cape Verde. That’s what matters in World Cup knockout football. But surviving isn’t the same as convincing, and for the first time in nearly two years, Lionel Scaloni’s world champions were facing adversity.
Cape Verde pushed Argentina all the way to extra time in Miami, exposing flaws that had been hidden through an accommodating group stage against Jordan, Austria and Algeria. Those were three of the tournament’s least convincing teams. Cape Verde was the first side willing and able to punish Argentina’s complacency, a team brave enough to give it their all, and nearly come away winners. Had Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero, two defenders, not scored in extra time, The greatest upset in World Cup history was a set of penalty kicks away from becoming reality.
Now comes Egypt in the Round of 16, with a potential quarterfinal against either Colombia or Switzerland beyond that. Neither opponent will be nearly as forgiving. It’s the same Colombia side that beat Argentina during World Cup qualifying, and lost to them in extra time of the Copa America final in Miami.
Lionel Messi Can’t Be the Entire Attack
Lionel Messi has been magnificent. Seven goals in four matches at 39 years old is the story of the tournament, another reminder that football’s greatest player still decides the biggest games. Should Argentina make the final four of the tournament, he’s perhaps a lock for the golden boot, the other contenders being Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Vinicius Jr, Ousmane Dembele, and Mikel Oyarzabal.
The problem is nobody else among Argentina’s forwards has stepped up and scored.
No other Argentine player has scored more than once. Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan’s superstar striker, continues to look uncomfortable alongside Messi instead of complementary. Too often the pair occupy similar spaces, getting tangled up positionally rather than stretching defenses apart. Against Cape Verde’s low block, Lautaro didn’t create a single chance or shot worthy of troubling the goalkeeper. Argentina were left playing centrally, and slowly in the build up.
Julian Alvarez has now played roughly 200 minutes without a goal or assist despite arriving after another outstanding La Liga season with Atletico Madrid. Thiago Almada looked electric in the pre-World Cup friendlies but has faded badly once the tournament began. Rodrigo De Paul works tirelessly, Alexis Mac Allister keeps possession moving, but neither has consistently broken games open, they are there to be workhorse players not goalscorers.
Too often the attack has become painfully predictable.
Give the ball to Messi and “let him cook”. That worked against Jordan, where he came on as a substitute and instantly had an impact. It worked against Austria. It worked against Algeria. Against Cape Verde, it almost ended Argentina’s World Cup.
Lionel Scaloni Has Solutions He’s Stubbornly Refusing to Use
That’s the frustrating part. The only answers are sitting on the bench.
Nico Paz has been a spark every time he’s appeared, yet received zero minutes against Cape Verde. Giuliano Simeone brings relentless movement and intensity out wide, exactly the type of running Argentina lacked against a packed defense, but has barely featured since the opening match. Valentin Barco offers width and energy. Giovani Lo Celso scored against Jordan yet isn’t expected to be a key part of the rotation.
Supporters are beginning to ask legitimate questions.
Argentina lost Angel Di Maria to retirement. Replacing that movement, pace and willingness to attack defenders one-on-one was always going to be impossible with one player. Instead, Scaloni seems determined to pretend nothing has changed. Football doesn’t work that way.
One supporter summed up the growing frustration perfectly.
“Last night’s game felt like one of those Argentina games from 2018… basically just Messi and 10 passengers.”
Another pointed to the lack of movement.
“There was ZERO movement into the box. Players like Giuliano Simeone are constantly making runs.”
The criticism isn’t about abandoning Messi. It’s about helping him. At 39 years old, Messi should be attracting defenders to create space for everyone else, not being forced to create every meaningful attack himself.
Argentina Look Vulnerable in Transition
The concerns aren’t limited to the attack.
Facundo Medina and Nahuel Molina have repeatedly been exposed in transition, leaving too much space behind the wingbacks whenever Argentina loses possession. Cape Verde finally punished those openings after halftime, Deroy Duarte’s brilliant equalizer coming during a spell where Argentina looked slow, distracted and strangely comfortable protecting a one-goal lead.
Alexis Mac Allister hasn’t quite controlled midfield the way many expected either, and Argentina’s tempo can become painfully slow whenever Messi drops deep searching for touches.
Against Egypt, they may survive again. Against Colombia, should that quarterfinal materialize, those defensive transitions could become devastating. A team of Colombia or Switzerland’s caliber can do what Cape Verde simply could not.
Argentina already knows what Colombia can do. They lost to Los Cafeteros during World Cup qualifying after beating them in the Copa América final. Néstor Lorenzo’s side attacks with pace, confidence and numbers. Switzerland presents a different challenge but arrives with one of Europe’s most balanced attacks.
Neither opponent will simply admire Messi.
This Has to Be a Wake-Up Call for Argentina
The irony is Argentina has lived this story before.
At the 2022 World Cup, the shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia became the catalyst that transformed the tournament. The loss forced Argentina to evolve, make changes and ultimately lift the trophy. Cape Verde didn’t eliminate them but they served as a serious warning.
This squad didn’t arrive in North America to host barbecues at training camp, pose for photos or spend weeks celebrating the fact they’re defending champions. They came to win another World Cup, and defending that title demands far more urgency than Argentina showed against Cape Verde.
Messi has done everything anyone could reasonably ask. Seven goals. Countless moments of magic. Leadership when panic began creeping into the stadium. Now someone else has to help him.
Scaloni has built one of the great international teams of the modern era because he has never been afraid to evolve when circumstances demanded it. The next evolution has to come now. Give Nico Paz minutes. Trust Giuliano Simeone’s intensity. Inject fresh legs and fresh ideas before stronger opponents expose the cracks Cape Verde revealed. Argentina is still capable of winning this World Cup. But they won’t do it with Messi carrying ten passengers.
They’ll do it the same way they conquered Qatar: as a team willing to adapt, willing to suffer, and willing to trust that the shirt on the front matters more than the name on the back. Right now, that balance has been lost, and if it isn’t found quickly, the defending champions will discover that this World Cup is far less forgiving than the last.
Main Photo Credit: Smartframe Images
