Nico Paz shines, Scaloni’s plan brings him closer to World Cup | OneFootball

His elegance in running and the way he positions his boot to control the ball and pass it from side to side shows that he is a unique player. Owner of inexhaustible talent and a left foot of an artist, Nico Paz raises the Argentine flag high in Serie A. Even though he was born in Tenerife, Spain, he chose to represent the National Team like his father Pablo Paz, and this dream season at Como brings him ever closer to the 2026 World Cup.

Even if just watching him play for ten minutes is enough, his statistics in Italian football are enviable and reminiscent of the glory days of Paulo Dybala, Carlos Tevez, and even Gonzalo Higuaín, among many other national figures.

With his latest stunning goal and exquisite assist in the historic 2-0 victory over Juventus, the midfielder stands as the top assist provider (4) and the second top scorer (4) of the current campaign. All in just seven matches. In four of them, he received the Man of the Match award, and for two months now, August and September, he has been recognized as the Young MVP of Calcio.

Awards that already shine in the showcases of his personal museum, very close to the first jersey he wore in his debut a year ago with the national team, in the 6-0 win over Bolivia in the Qualifiers. That night at the Monumental, Scaloni brought him on in the second half, and it took him just a few minutes to assist Lionel Messi, the idol of his childhood (he confessed that he often watches videos of him before matches).

“He is truly one of the good ones,” announced the world champion and two-time America’s champion coach last May. The idea is for him to gain more quality minutes, especially in the upcoming friendly tour in November against Angola and India. The last one before the Finalissima with Spain, precisely the country where he kicked his first ball and which tried to lure him to wear red. “Did we snatch him from Spain? Is he Spanish, Argentine? We brought him for us, we were smart, weren’t we?” quickly marked the field the Pujato coach.

Paz, forged in the Real Madrid academy, had the chance to be coached by Carlo Ancelotti and debut in the Champions League against Sporting Braga. Beyond Carletto's praises and the flashes of football he gifted to the merengue audience, he couldn’t settle in a midfield full of stars and moved to Como, where he unleashed all his abilities under the guidance of Cesc Fàbregas, a former Barcelona player.

Aware that geniuses shouldn’t be chained to a fixed position, he was given the freedom to move wherever he wanted. And so, trotting on tiptoes and always with his head up, he began to work his magic: free kicks, line-breaking passes, spins, dribbles, nutmegs, and an extensive football repertoire that mesmerizes anyone. Even Francesco Totti, who acknowledged: “Let's say there aren't many Italian talents right now. The only one I'm seeing, and he's not Italian, is Nico Paz. He intrigues me a lot.”

Several months remain until the 2026 World Cup, and anything can happen, but it’s clear that Paz has earned an important spot on the Argentine list. Now, the big goal is for him to bring to the National Team all the good he’s been doing at Como. It will be what allows him to secure a ticket to the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

He will have the time (he will start in at least one of the two matches) and the trust of everyone, especially his teammates, who often look for him even though he has only six matches with the Senior Team. “He has a great mind, understands the game perfectly, and I hope he continues like this,” Messi praised him after his promising debut. And he was hopeful like everyone else: “In this team, he will feel comfortable because we have the ball a lot, and he grew up with that and has a lot of quality.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.