U-22 Japan showed an overwhelming difference in their ability against Argentina with a score of 5-2 and achieved an undisputed victory.
Following Germany, they also won against Argentina with an overwhelming difference in ability.
And Japan’s No. 10 Suzuki was named Player of the Match.
What was particularly interesting was that Argentina’s midfielder Carlos threatened Suzuki, but Suzuki didn’t care and immediately assisted the goal and silenced Argentina with his soccer skills.
Of course, they were not members of the A national team, but they were both U-22 players, and it was a match between the best members of the team who will carry the future of their country on their shoulders.
This makes it very interesting to see which country is closest to winning the 2026 World Cup.
Three years later, neither Messi nor Di María are in the Argentina national team.
So, can Argentina beat Japan?
We are witnessing the work of arguably the worst coach in Argentina’s NT history, Mr Javier Mascherano.
I started watching football in 2002 and Mascherano is the most incompetent coach I’ve seen in my life, these matches under his hand are not a measure of anything, our U-23 NT could lose against Granada and I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
Japan is a good team, good players, great project but is nowhere close to being a WC contender. They are still missing the experience and the cunning to play at top level but they might get close someday.