El Fideo fully concluded his redemption arc with his goal in the Qatar final, but he continues to write his story to open the debate.
Does not exist in the history of the Argentina national team a case of resilience greater than that of Angel Di Mariawho, thanks to his football but also his courage and hunger for glory, managed to conquer such a great place in the gallery of Albiceleste idols that he even opens the debate about what place it occupies and the opportunity to get on the podium, behind the untouchable glory.
Because for years there was discussion, often in a sterile manner, about whether the first place belonged Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi. Because the cold numbers always gave justice to La Pulga, currently the player with the most games played, the most goals and, since December 18, with his image elevating the World Cup, the title claimed for almost twenty years. However, regardless of the passage of time, Diego’s image as a deity can never be demoted from its position. The election was, is, and always will be generational and unfair to anyone not labeled “the greatest of all time.”
Slightly more debatable was the question of the third in the battle, a space that should correspond to a representative of the 1978 World Cup champions, with Mario Kempes as maximum reference for his goals, two of which in the final against the Netherlands, although always accompanied by figures of stature Daniel Passarella and Ubaldo Fillol. And even further back, the goals of Gabriel Batistuta, two-time American champion, albeit with a World Cup backbone, put him in a place on that Olympus.
WHY ANGEL DI MARÍA
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Angelito, the Fideo, the one with the decisive goals. The one with the subtle touch against Nigeria in the 2008 Olympics, the one who stabbed Ederson in the middle of the Maracana in the Copa América final, the one he repeated against Donnarumma in the Finalissima, the one who defined the counter-attack of history against France in Lusail. But these last three goals are part of the redemption arc of a story that was bittersweet to say the least until 2021.
Because if the review forgets, for example: that relief against Switzerlandis due to what happened later at the World Cup in Brazil: the stabs and tears against Belgium, which caused the never-explained absence in the final against Germany, with the story of Real Madrid’s request not to let him play, an alleged insurance policy and the conversation with Sabella the night before. If small, Another muscle injury ruled him out of the 2015 Copa América final against Chile and could not compete against the same rival in the Copa América Centenario a year later.
He doesn’t remember his either great goal against France in the round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup for the outcome of that match, which seemed to mark the end of his cycle. And when he came back to play Copa America 2019first mentioned by Lionel Scaloni, the chance to turn back history seemed even further away.
But giving up is not in the Rosario dictionary. Wearing the PSG shirt, he completed a fantastic 2019-20 season despite the pandemic openly asked for another chancewho arrived in October 2020 to play the qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru. And the Copa América 2021, in which he agreed to be a substitute but was included in the final eleven and from there the story is known to all.
Today Di María is the fourth player with the most games with the Albiceleste, only seven behind Javier Zanetti and 11 behind Javier Mascherano. It is also the seventh goalscorer of all time with 29, three fewer than Gonzalo Higuaín and five fewer than Maradona. He won the U20 World Cup, the Olympic Games, the Copa América, the Finalissima and the World Cup. identical track record as Messialthough with the peculiarity of have converted in all finals except Canada 2007 for persons under 20 years of age.
But its history and significance cannot be summarized in numbers, but rather His little stories make him great. His most recent performance was dazzling. Without Leo, he wore the captain’s ribbon against Bolivia, scored two assists and played at his peak as if he had not yet passed the age of 35. And if the consideration is that he is not yet ready for the historic podium of the Albiceleste, he still has at least a year to secure the place that he at least began to deserve.
Source: Goal