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Why This Argentina Team Will Be Loved, Even If They Don't Win the World Cup
People often measure greatness by trophies.
I don't.
Even if Argentina doesn't win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this team will still be remembered as one of the most loved teams in football history. Lionel Messi will still be remembered as the greatest footballer many of us have seen in the last hundred years.
Why?
Because this team represents something much bigger than football.
Look at France, England, Spain, or even Portugal. Most of their squads are filled with players from the biggest clubs in the world—Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, PSG, Arsenal, and others.
Argentina is different.
Many of their players come from comparatively smaller clubs. They are not always the biggest names or the most expensive players. Yet, when they wear the Argentina jersey, they become something else.
They play with everything they have.
They don't seem worried about protecting their club contracts. They don't look afraid of injuries that could affect their next season. For ninety minutes, nothing matters except representing their country.
That is what makes this team special.
I don't remember seeing this level of passion from Argentina twenty or thirty years ago.
I have watched the eras of Jorge Burruchaga, Juan Román Riquelme, Pablo Aimar, Gabriel Batistuta, Javier Zanetti, Hernán Crespo, and many other legends.
They were incredible footballers.
But this feeling was different.
This team plays as if every match is their last. Every tackle, every sprint, every celebration, every recovery—they play like soldiers fighting for their country.
They don't just play football.
They fight for one another.
And I believe a huge part of that culture comes from Lionel Messi.
People usually talk about his goals, assists, dribbles, and trophies.
I see something else.
I see a leader who brought the dressing room together.
A captain who built relationships beyond football.
A player who genuinely cares about his teammates, their families, and their happiness.
That bond is visible every time Argentina plays.
There wasn't a single player before who united the national team in quite the same way.
Of course, Lionel Scaloni deserves enormous credit too.
Every great team starts from the top.
Scaloni never tried to make himself the hero. He built the team around Messi's leadership while allowing every player to feel important. He created a culture where no individual was bigger than the team—even though the greatest footballer in the world was standing right there.
That is the mark of a great coach.
Whether Argentina wins or loses is no longer the biggest story for me.
What matters is how they play.
They play like fighters.
They play with pride.
They play for the badge.
And they play like a nation that is obsessed with winning for each other, not for individual glory.
That is why millions of neutral fans have started supporting Argentina over the last few years.
Football always moves in cycles.
Brazil dominated.
Then Germany.
Italy had its golden era.
Spain changed football forever.
Every great football nation eventually goes through difficult years.
That is why, sometimes, I wonder how long this beautiful era of Argentina will last.
Will it end after this World Cup?
Will another generation take years to reach these heights again?
Nobody knows.
That thought makes me appreciate every single match even more.
As long as this journey continues, I want to enjoy every moment of it.
My son lost interest in this World Cup after Brazil was knocked out.
When I saw that, I smiled.
Because I remembered being exactly the same whenever Argentina exited the tournament early. Every World Cup felt over for me.
One day, Brazil will rise again.
One day, he will experience the same excitement that I am feeling today.
Football always comes back.
I have said this before—I am a die-hard Manchester United supporter.
That will never change.
But Messi, with his humility, leadership, and complete commitment to the team, made me fall in love with a player in a way very few athletes ever could.
There is one dream I still carry.
One day, when I grow old, I hope I can travel to Argentina—or wherever Messi may be—and simply meet him.
Not for an autograph.
Not for a photograph.
Just to spend a few minutes talking about football.
To understand how he sees the game.
To hear his thoughts about leadership, teamwork, and the beautiful sport that has given millions of us so many unforgettable memories.
Until then, I will do what every football lover should do.
I will sit back, enjoy this World Cup, and cherish every moment.
Because players like Lionel Messi don't come every generation.
They come once in a lifetime.
@Argentina @argfootballafa @AFFBD_Team12 @ESPNArgentina @TNTSportsAR @porqueTTarg @fms_argentina @ClaroArgentina @ManUtd @MUFC #AFA @SkySports
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