The Argentine national team captained by Lionel Messi and directed by Lionel Scaloni confirmed two more friendly matches on US soil for the month of June as part of its preparation for the Copa America 2024.
According to what was reported by the EFE agency, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM), commercial branch of the American league Major League Soccer (MLS), announced this Monday that the world champions will face the selection of Ecuador on June 9 at Soldier Field in Chicago and Guatemala on June 14 at FedExField in the metropolitan area of the American capital, Washington D.C.
These commitments They are added to the other two matches that the national team has there against Nigeria and El Salvador in Marchafter the Asian tour that Scaloni’s team was going to carry out in China was canceled by the administration of the host country.
This made the AFA have to look for an alternative for the preparatory matches for the Copa América being played this year, and what better territory than the venue where the tournament will be held.
One of the rivals that the team led by Lionel Messi was going to face will remain, Nigeria, but the match that was going to be played against the champion of the last edition of the Africa Cup, Ivory Coast, was replaced by another against the selection of El Salvador.
One of the most relevant aspects of this journey is the impact that the figure of the former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player is having in said country, since his arrival at Inter Miami of the MLS It has led to significant growth in football following in the United States.
The matches will be the prelude for Argentina with a view to the Copa América, where it will try to revalidate the title won in 2021, the first of the ‘Scaloni era’, which continued with the 2022 Finalissima and the third World Cup for Argentina – after those of 1978 and 1986 – after its victory in the last edition of Qatar 2022.
The Mexican Luis Fernando Tena will face the world champion
The Mexican Luis Fernando Tenaformer coach of Cruz Azul, América, Chivas and a large part of the cast of the Liga MXBesides the Mexican team In its U-23 categories and the first team, it will face Argentina, world champion, in what will be the most important match since it arrived on the bench of that country in 2021.
As it is a FIFA date game, Guatemala could count on its legionnaires such as goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen of the Columbus Crew of the United States, midfielder Oscar Santis of Dinamo Tbilisi of Georgia and forward Rubio Rubín of Querétaro of the Liga MX.
The last duel between both nations was played in September 2018 and on that occasion the Argentines won 3-0 with goals from Giovanni Simeone, Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolás Martínez.
Tena’s balance as coach of Guatemala throughout these almost three years has been 13 games won, 11 lost and 6 tied; That is, it is 50% effective. Among the most renowned teams he has faced since 2021 are Colombia and Mexico.
Keep reading:
· Official: Messi and Argentina will play a friendly against Nigeria in Los Angeles
· Luis Fernando Tena and Guatemala say goodbye to the Copa América after receiving a victory from Panama
· Luis Fernando Tena believes that the Guatemalan team can have the same level as Mexico