Argentina just hit a major roadblock in their World Cup preparations. The defending champions were supposed to face European champions Spain in the Finalissima on March 27, but that match has been canceled due to the Middle East conflict making Qatar an impossible host location.
This is a massive blow for coach Lionel Scaloni. He was counting on this match to answer the biggest question on everyone's mind: Will Lionel Messi be ready for the World Cup? The captain turns 39 during the tournament, and his fitness remains a huge question mark.
Since lifting the trophy in 2022, Argentina has been absolutely dominant. They've crushed South American qualifying with just four losses in 18 matches. They won the 2024 Copa América. They've played 11 friendlies and won every single one.
But here's the problem: those friendlies have been against weaker opponents. We're talking about teams like Curaçao, Indonesia, El Salvador, and Angola. The Argentine Football Association chose these matches for commercial reasons, cashing in on their world champion status and Messi's star power.
No European Tests Before the Big Dance
If Argentina can't secure a quality European opponent soon, they'll arrive at the World Cup without facing a single European team in this qualifying cycle. That's never happened before in their World Cup history.
Before the 2022 tournament, they tested themselves against Germany, Italy, and Estonia. Those matches helped them fine-tune their tactics and squad selection. Now they're missing that crucial preparation.
The AFA is frantically trying to arrange replacement matches for this month's international window. They're also scrambling to find opponents for late May, right before the World Cup kicks off in June. So far, no announcements have been made.
What This Means for Bettors
Scaloni said it best in January: "The players need to be in top form shortly before the matches. The crucial part will be from March onwards." Without these key preparation matches, Argentina's World Cup odds could shift as the tournament approaches.
For punters considering Argentina as favorites, this lack of high-level preparation is worth noting. They'll be heading into their opener against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas without having tested themselves against elite European opposition. They follow that with matches against Austria and Jordan in group play.
Messi himself has been cautious about his participation, saying late last year: "I'm going to take it day by day. Being honest and trying to be realistic and feel good." That doesn't sound like the confidence you want from your star player heading into a World Cup defense.
The next few weeks will be crucial. If Argentina can't secure quality opponents soon, their preparation will be far from ideal. That's something both fans and bettors need to keep a close eye on.
