After the Nigeria game, there were glimpses of an Argentinian resurrection: despite qualifying just by the skin of their teeth, after staring down the barrel of elimination, the Albiceleste looked suddenly lively. Italy, in both 1982 and 1994, same Argentina, in 1990, had shown us that you don´t need to play always good in the first phase to be a protagonist in a World Cup. In the country, people started to dream again, immediately forgetting the vapid displays against Iceland and Croatia. But eventually it turned out to be just a flash in the pan: France and Kylian Mbappé proved to be too much for the Argentinians, as they were beaten 4-3 in an exciting (for the French and neutral fans) but disappointing (for the South American supporters) game.

Soon after the match, the trial started again. Jorge Sampaoli´s tactics and substitutions were questioned as well as Lionel Messi´s inability to deliver when it matters. However, when people judge Argentina´s performance in this World Cup, most of them tend to forget the background.

Poor in qualification

Less than two years ago, after losing three finals in two years, Lionel Messi decided to retire from international football. He had enough. Enough to be compared with Diego Armando Maradona, enough to carry on his shoulders the hopes of an entire country.

Fortunately, his retirement didn´t last long: the then coach Edgardo Bauza was desperate to bring Messi back in the squad and after few weeks the Barcelona player announced that “he loves Argentina too much” to walk away from the national team. But, even with Messi, Argentina were still shambolic and struggled throughout the qualification campaign. Bauza was sacked and replaced by Jorge Sampaoli, a coveted coach who did a wonderful job in Chile, leading the Chilean national side to their first Copa America in 2015.

Despite his achievements, the Argentina job resulted a tough one for Sampaoli. The Albiceleste were awful, and harsh critics started soon: people expected revolutions, new names in the squad, but the coach stuck with the old guard mainly because his few experiments hadn´t worked as expected. The last games were heartbreaking: Argentina lost in Bolivia 2-0, then could beat at home neither Venezuela nor Peru. Eventually, their place in the World Cup was secured only after a tense and traumatic last game in Ecuador, in which Messi scored a hat-trick.

In the last six games, Argentina scored just five goals, one an own-goal and the other four netted by Messi alone. Even if his performances with the Albiceleste were below-average, with seven goals he still managed to be the second best goalscorer of the CONMEBOL´s qualification – behind Edinson Cavani.

A real mess

Although it´s impossible to underestimate Messi´s decisive contribution in the Argentina squad, it would have been unfair to expect that the Barcelona playmaker could carry single-handedly his side as far as possible. Cristiano Ronaldo´s early exit from the tournament shows again that the talent could nothing if the context around him is poor or average. Teams need a solid structure in which the main character could flourish. The main issue, for Argentina, it was that the Albiceleste lacked completely that structure.

The worst mistake a coach could make it´s to begin an important tournament with no clear idea. Usually, big teams come in World Cup with a consolidate starting XI with coaches making few chances of personnel depending on opponents or o single form. Instead, Argentina went to Russia with an alarming sense of uncertainty.

It´s impossible to realize which was the plan of Sampaoli, but Argentina were the opposite of his revolutionary, high-tempo, football seen in Chile and in part at Sevilla. They were instead slow, predictable, naïve and disorganized, from defence to attack.

Such insecurity was confirmed during the tournament by the use of four different tactics in so many games. Sampaoli started with a back-four, switched to back-three (against Croatia) and restored the back-four for the last two games, while he changed three time his striker, starting with Sergio Aguero, then deploying Gonzalo Higuain and finally using Messi as false nine against France.

On the paper, every choice made sense and could have worked well, but it showed primarily too much confusion. Messi was never put in the conditions to shine – although he´s not faultless – and received little help from his teammates. Only Ever Banega offered some moment of spark in midfield, while the likes of Angel Di Maria, Aguero, Higuain had all a quiet tournament.

Sampaoli´s choices and subsequently substitutions were also debatable: the goalkeeper Willy Caballero – a benchwarmer at Chelsea – never showed security and was dropped in favour of Franco Armani only after a terrifying mistake against Croatia; midfielder Eduardo Salvio was forced to play as makeshift right-back; upfront the raw and hesitant Maxi Meza got so many opportunities ahead of the Juventus forward Paulo Dybala, who barely played few minutes in the tournament.

Future: too many clouds

Following the World Cup exit, midfielder Javier Mascherano has decided to retire from international duty. The 34-year-old made 145 appearances for his country, however, his retirement was not celebrated as you expected. For many, he has finally retired. For others, he should have never been called for this World Cup. Instead, he went to Russia and played every minute, battling bravely to keep his side in contention but at the end showing that he´s well past his prime.

His involvement has been questioned since Sampaoli took over with pundits and fans demanding his exclusion: he had no longer the level of fitness required while his technical skills have never been his forte. Yet Sampaoli stuck with him, considering Mascherano´s leadership and experience indispensable for his side. Logically, Mascherano is not the top player seen at Liverpool and Barcelona anymore, but is there a better choice among the players not called for the World Cup?

The decline of Argentina´s youth system in recent years has been alarming. Between 1995 and 2008, Argentina won five (!) times U-20 World Cup and twice the gold medal at Olympics. However, since then the conveyor belt of talent has stopped. Eight players involved in the 2008 Olympics and the 2005 and 2007 U20 World Cup are still in the team: Lucas Biglia, Federico Fazio, Di Maria, Banega, Mascherano, Gabriel Mercado, Aguero, Messi while the goalkeeper Sergio Romero missed the 2018 World Cup only because of a last-minute injury. They are not just involved, they are – more o less- still the mainstays of the squad.

There are countries that are producing youngsters in a way that replacements and transition come smoothly. France and Spain are two great examples. Even England, despite some issues, can boast a great youth development. In Argentina, on the other hand, the lack of replacement has brought some consequences as there are weaknesses in several positions such as goalkeeper, full-backs, defensive midfielder, striker.

Argentinian young players tend to emigrate abroad younger than their predecessors, and not always is a good factor. Families, agents, clubs are behind those decisions: a move abroad – mainly in Europa– bring easy money, dinero that help the clubs to reduce debts and enrich intermediaries. Sometimes it works: a skilful player will fulfil his potential anyway but sending raw teenagers around the world - instead of keeping them in the local League to gain experience - is also a big risk. Moreover, Argentina seem to lack the structure put by Jose Pekerman in the 90s, when in the country were unceasingly producing and developing promising youngsters.

Now, with the World Cup over, and with most of the senior players on the verge of retirement, the future for Argentina is unclear. U20 side won the 2015 South American Championship but none of them has been involved in Russia, meaning Argentina are the fourth oldest team, behind Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. The lack of potential first-class footballers is clear, and the crisis of talent is very worrying for Argentina, even though the likes of Giovanni Lo Celso, Dybala, Cristian Pavon, Lautaro Martinez, Leandro Paredes and Emmanuel Mammana are ready to be - and must be –involved more with the Albiceleste.

If Sampaoli would keep his job after the World Cup is an intriguing question, but the main task for him – or for the new coach – will be certain to identify the right replacements among the youngsters, develop them, and build a new competitive side. Otherwise, the Copa America, hosted by Brazil next year, will only rub salt into the wound.

@JuriGobbini