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Can the world champions see out the year without conceding a single goal?
It has been clean sheets all the way for Argentina in 2023. First in four friendlies against Panama, Curacao, Australia and Indonesia, and then in the first four rounds of 2026 World Cup qualifying against Ecuador, Bolívia, Paraguay and Peru.
In other words: Argentina have not let in a goal since the World Cup final last year. Clearly, this is a fine achievement, but some will inevitably point at the quality of the opposition that they have faced so far this year. Is Argentina’s defence really that good?
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Let’s cast our minds back to the closing stages of that World Cup final against France nearly 11 months ago. If Emiliano Martínez had not produced that superb one-on-one save to deny French forward Randal Kolo Muani, then Argentina would not be world champions and the entire narrative would be different. The argument would be that Lionel Messi had got so close to gold, but had been let down by Argentina’s defence, which had collapsed at the end against an opposing attack of undoubted quality. Mention this to an Argentine and a shiver will go down their spine — the margin was that close.
The simultaneous introduction into the national team of Martinez and Cristian Romero in June 2021 has been crucial. At a stroke, coach Lionel Scaloni had discovered the best goalkeeper and centre-back that Argentina have been able to count on for some time in two problem positions. But for all the excellence of the Premier League pair, the problem in defence has not entirely gone away.
Nico Otamendi has been eager to do his part at centre-back — but had Martinez not pulled off that save on Kolo Muani, there would have been plenty of criticism coming his way — and at the age of 35, it is surprising that Otamendi has still not been replaced. Well, at least until the replacements are considered.
Some might have seen Lisandro Martínez as the next in line, but the Manchester United man is currently injured. Behind Romero and Otamendi in the current squad, then, are Germán Pezzella and Lucas Martínez Quarta. The former, now with Betis, has been around the squad since 2017 without ever establishing himself as the first choice. And the latter is now getting a regular game for Fiorentina but has never looked entirely at home with the national team. Elsewhere the former Tottenham man Juan Foyth has run into injury problems and Bournemouth’s Marco Senesi has been looked at and discarded for the second time.
And so, the Romero-Otamendi partnership remains. Pezzella was given a couple of starts earlier this year in the friendlies, but it has been the old firm for all of the World Cup qualifiers and, fitness allowing, it will surely be Romero and Otamendi in the games over the next few days.
But now the quality of opposition for rises appreciably. For the first time this year, Argentina will face the kind of threat that France posed against them in that dramatic final in Qatar.
On Thursday, they face a Uruguay side on a roll after beating Brazil so convincingly last month — and it is a team subsequently reinforced in all its lines. José María Giménez is back to partner with Ronald Araújo at centre-back, Rodrigo Bentancur returns in midfield — and there is the recall of the in-form, all-time top-scorer Luis Suárez up front to add to the firepower provided by Darwin Núñez.
Uruguay will ask questions of the Argentina defence that have not been posed by previous 2023 opponents. Then, five days later there is the trip to Rio de Janeiro to take on Brazil.
In the context of a qualifying campaign where so many teams make the cut (of South America’s 10 nations, six qualify automatically with the seventh going into a playoff) this match against Brazil is high stakes. One citadel has yet to fall — Brazil have never lost a qualifier at home, yet their team has been a shambles in recent matches.
Brazil do, however, possess attacking pace from, of course, Vinícius Júnior, or even 17-year-sensation Endrick, who has been called up for the first time. In the last World Cup qualifier between the two giants, Argentina struggled to hold a youthful Brazil attack and, even at home, were somewhat relieved to come away with a goalless draw. Once more, Argentina’s back line may well suffer moments of panic that they have not experienced since France was bearing down on their goal.
As Argentina’s defence serves as the major narrative of the next few days, others will play out too, like the chance that the calendar has offered for Colombia‘s Luis Díaz to celebrate the release of his father from his kidnapping ordeal. Colombia play their home games in Barranquilla, the big city closest to the home of Diaz and the place where his professional career began and took off. On Thursday the national hero will be leading the attacking line against Brazil — a glamour game in which Diaz will be desperate to rise to the occasion.
All eyes, though, will be on Argentina and whether their defence is as good as 2023 has made them look.
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