World Cup doubt, Garnacho on choosing Argentina over Spain: “I’d matter” | OneFootball

Few footballers have generated as much excitement in recent years for the national team as Alejandro Garnacho. Beyond his promising breakthrough at a giant club like Manchester United, the fact that, despite being Spanish, he chose to represent Argentina added a special twist. Lionel Scaloni did not hesitate to open the doors for him, both in the World Cup qualifiers and at the 2024 Copa América, but he was never able to fully unleash his talent and gradually lost ground, to the point that today he is off the list for the 2026 World Cup.

The contrast is telling. While La Roja are looking for attacking alternatives due to the injuries to Mikel Merino and Nico Williams, La Albiceleste offer the opposite picture: an overabundance of attacking options and fierce competition that pushes the youngster several spots down the pecking order. Perhaps, had he chosen his country of birth, his place at the World Cup would be guaranteed. But that belongs to the realm of conjecture, to what never was and never will be. In reality, Garnacho is not looking back or regretting his decision.

“I was born in Spain, but my mom is Argentine. When she was nine years old, the whole family moved to Spain. I don’t know why. My grandfather went to Spain to work and they stayed. Then my mom met my dad,” Garnacho began his story. And he was clear about the national team: “The reason I chose Argentina was because they gave me confidence from the very beginning that I was going to be important in the future.”

So far, his journey with the senior team has produced modest numbers: eight official matches (270 minutes on the pitch) and a Copa América winner’s medal. His performances were not enough to fully convince the coaching staff. Even so, fate gave him unforgettable moments, such as sharing a dressing room and the pitch with Lionel Messi, whom he praised highly on ESPN: “I always remember the first time I was with him at a training camp, sharing every day, eating, training, sleeping… A week with him, it was a dream. I asked him for a photo.”

That admiration deepened through everyday closeness, where the myth became human: “He’s a normal person. If you’re eating with the rest of the players, you see Messi, but he’s a normal person. He’s very humble, and when you see him train, you see his quality.”

It is no surprise, then, that Leo was a decisive factor in his international choice: “Messi also had a lot to do with it. Having the chance to play with him is not something you can easily say no to.” And although the immediate outlook may seem elusive and the World Cup looms like a utopia, Garnacho is not giving up his ambition or his faith: “I know I will do great things for them. It’s only a matter of time.”

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