World Cup all but gone, Garnacho chose Argentina over Spain: “I’d matter” | OneFootball

Few footballers have generated as much expectation in the national team in recent years as Alejandro Garnacho. Beyond his promising breakthrough at a giant like Manchester United, the fact that, despite being Spanish, he chose to represent Argentina added a special twist. Lionel Scaloni had no hesitation in opening the doors to 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 out of the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The contrast is telling. While La Roja is looking for attacking alternatives because of the injuries to Mikel Merino and Nico Williams, La Albiceleste presents the opposite picture: an overabundance of attacking talent and fierce competition that has pushed the little bug several spots back. 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 does not look back or regret 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 work in Spain 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 start that I was going to be important in the future.”

His journey with the senior team, for now, offers 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 the dressing room and the field 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.”

The admiration deepened through daily 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 watch him train, you see his quality.”

It is no surprise, then, that Leo was a decisive factor in his international decision: “Messi also had a lot to do with it. Having the chance to play with him is not something you can turn down so easily.” And although the immediate horizon may seem elusive and the World Cup looks like a utopia, Garnacho has not given 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.