The Argentina national team coach cherished a particular moment from the 1997 Under-20 World Cup as one of his fondest memories.
Argentina’s Under-20 squad at the Malaysia 1997 World Cup is remembered as a watershed generation in which future stars such as Juan Román Riquelme, Pablo Aimar, Esteban Cambiasso, Walter Samuel, Diego Placente, and Lionel Scaloni emerged to define a generation. That group would eventually influence the senior team’s narrative, with Scaloni later leading Argentina to triumphs years after his playing days and Riquelme, Aimar, Cambiasso, and Samuel shaping the footballing ethos that followed. The ascent began with a club-like cohesion during the youth era and culminated in a broader success that would echo through the national team’s later chapters, including a Copa America victory that resonated far beyond the squad’s immediate circle.
Under the guidance of José Pekerman, the younger squad protected the title they had won two years earlier in Qatar. A tough downturn came in the later stages when they were eliminated after a decisive defeat to Australia in the final round of the group stage, with the team then facing potential matchups against England and, if they advanced, against the Brazilian side—the very team they had defeated in the 1995 final and who arrived seeking revenge. In those opening rounds, the young side demonstrated explosive form, scoring 25 goals in their first four matches, including a remarkable 10-3 victory over South Korea and a 10-0 demolition of Belgium in the knockout rounds.
The clash between Argentina and Brazil was a hard-fought classic, with both teams showing absolute determination. The Argentine defense managed to keep Adaílton and Alex, key figures for the Verdeamarela, well contained. Scaloni, who had started as a substitute, entered the fray 22 minutes into the first half after Diego Markic, and it would not be until the 79th minute that he would deliver a defining moment. Riquelme delivered a searching pass toward the goal that skimmed the line as he darted past Adaílton, then drove into the penalty area. Seeing the Brazilian goalkeeper advancing to cut off the potential cross, he finished with precision into the near post to make it 1-0. The closing moments saw Perezlindo sealing the win for the junior team, paving the way for another title in the category.
Exactly 24 years and 12 days later, on June 29, the current coach remembered that unforgettable victory against Brazil in the United States, a 1-0 triumph that ended a 28-year drought for the national senior team’s silverware. The coach has faced Brazil on five occasions, with mixed results across friendlies and competitive fixtures. There was a win in a 1-0 friendly, another defeat of the same scoreline in a different setting, a controversial semi-final loss in the 2019 Copa América that was perceived through local critiques, and a victorious triumph in Brazil in 2021 that is often called a historic result in the Maracanã. A suspended match in São Paulo and a 0-0 draw in November 2021 in San Juan mark the more recent encounters, highlighting the enduring rivalry and the evolving dynamics between the two South American giants.