The desire to make a nation happy is often even stronger than threats. No one knows this better than Angel Di Maria, whose love for Rosario Central allowed him to overcome the death threats he received from the narcos in his hometown after he announced his desire to once again wear the shirt of his beloved club. That heart he used to draw with his hands after scoring a goal proved stronger than anything, even for Argentina, which, thanks to him, won everything possible from 2021 to 2024.
Because in the World Cup final defeat against Spain, he was the real missing piece in the Selección lineup. The second voice who could even become the first when Lionel Messi couldn’t impose himself. His tactical versatility and genius with the ball at his feet made him a unique asset in the most successful Selección ever.
And his absence was clear when it was time to raise the level.
Star of the finals
Scorer of the goal in the Olympic final that gave the Albiceleste the gold medal against Nigeria, El Fideo was then regularly included in the Argentina national team squad.
All thanks to Diego Armando Maradona, who as coach chose him as Messi’s main partner. Di Maria, the son of a coal seller, was the representative of that Rosario Central historically opposed to Newell's Old Boys, the club where La Pulga played as a child. The two developed a fantastic relationship, supporting each other both on and off the pitch.
However, after the 2010 World Cup fiasco in South Africa, Di Maria was always the most decisive of the two in the big finals. His absence in the decisive match in Brazil against Germany was crucial, and the same happened in the two penalty shootout defeats in the Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016, where the 1988-born player played 29 and 57 minutes respectively due to injury on both occasions.
Capable of playing with the same quality both as a left and right winger, Di Maria was the wild card for Lionel Scaloni, who saw him score the goal in the Copa America final against Brazil at the Maracana.
That July 11, 2021, changed the history of the Selección. El Fideo’s chip over Ederson brought the right energy to face the World Cup in Qatar, where in the final (won on penalties after a 3-3 draw in 120 minutes) the former Real Madrid and Juventus midfielder won the penalty for the 1-0 and scored the 2-0 with remarkable composure. The Selección’s collapse, conceding the comeback in just a few minutes, happened after he left the pitch in the 64th minute.
In the final won against Colombia in the 2024 Copa America, El Fideo was named man of the match in a game decided in extra time by Lautaro Martinez, in which he played 117 minutes. His last match with the Selección crowned him as a unique phenomenon and fundamental to Scaloni’s team. A phenomenon for whom no replacement has yet been found, not even a lesser version.
Libertadores dream
The defeat in New Jersey against Spain exposed a vulnerable Argentina. The absence of a Swiss Army knife like Di Maria, who could also take pressure off Messi, was decisive. Nobody else can play the role of an attacking winger who also links up play so well. His speed is still that of a 25-year-old, and despite the passing years, his physical condition is still a game-changer.
The two goals he scored in the last two Clásicos won by his Central against Nuls have put him back at the top of Argentine football, where at 38 he still runs joyfully with the ball at his feet and is more decisive than anyone. Class never fades, nor does determination. And now, the dream of winning a Libertadores with the canalla team, the club he has always supported, is alive.
Stronger than the death threats from the narcos who hold his hometown hostage, Di Maria has decided to dedicate the final years of his career to his Central, leaving Argentina behind.
And now, with the Libertadores round of 16 against Corinthians approaching, his ability to decide big matches could make him a protagonist once again. Because when it was time to win, Angel was always there. And when, for various reasons, he wasn’t on the pitch, his Argentina inevitably ended up defeated...