December 26, 2024, 10:34 PM
December 26, 2024, 10:34 PM
The conquest of the second consecutive Copa América by the Argentine National Team left three members of the ‘Scaloneta’ as outstanding ‘albicelestes’ players in 2024, who also had a stellar performance in their European teams: Emiliano Martínez, Lautaro Martínez and Ángel di Maria.
Emiliano Martínez was once again confirmed as the best goalkeeper of the season of the year when the awards of both the France Football Ballon d’Or and the FIFA Thes Best awards coincided.
‘Dibu’ was fundamental for the consecration of the Albiceleste National Team in the Copa América in the United States with his performances in goal and by giving up only a single goal in the six games played.
Chosen as the best goalkeeper in the competition, Emiliano Martínez also contributed to Argentina remaining at the top of the FIFA ranking for another year and also managing to finish 2024 as the leader in the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
At club level, Emiliano Martínez led his Aston Villa to the end of a great season in the Premier League, where they finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League after 40 years.
Already in international competition, ‘Dibu’ once again established himself as one of the figures of his team that started its European participation with four wins, one draw and just one defeat, which allows him to fuel the illusion of accessing the next instance of the highest competition continental.
Lautaro Martínez had his great performance in the Argentine jersey in the Copa América because he finished as top scorer with five goals in the continental tournament and, in addition, he was the author of the decisive goal for the consecration of the ‘Albiceleste’ in the final against Colombia.
After a World Cup in Qatar where he had an expectant performance after the emergence of Julián Álvarez as a center forward, the ‘Toro’ once again demonstrated his worth to give his fundamental contribution for Argentina to repeat the title achieved in Brazil 2021.
Chosen as the best footballer in Serie A last season for his performances at Inter Milan, the ‘Toro’ won Serie A and the Italian Super Cup at the end of the 2023/24 season, with a total of 35 goals and eight assists.
At the Ballon d’Or Gala he finished seventh in the voting carried out by the specialized magazine France Football, and in the current season he is fighting for first place in the Italian championship and had a great start in the group stage of the Champions League.
Ángel di María, meanwhile, closed a career in the Argentine National Team with a dream finish: second consecutive title in America and a great figure in the final against Colombia.
Winner of absolutely everything with the ‘albiceleste’ jacket, before the United States competition he announced that they would be his last games representing his country and a month later he had his tribute against Chile in Buenos Aires in the Qualifiers at the Monumental Stadium.
At the club level, after flirting with a possible return to Argentine football to play in his beloved Rosario Central, he renewed in Portugal with Benfica and is essential for the current season of the ‘Águilas’ both locally in the competition with Porto and Sporting Lisbon as well as at the European level where they fight in the Champions League for access to the next phase.
Other notable Argentines in 2024 are Lionel Messi, with his performance at Inter Miami, where he won the MLS Supporter’s Shield in the regular season, but was then quickly eliminated in the direct playoffs; Julián Álvarez, protagonist of one of the transfers of the last market when he left Manchester City to move to Atlético de Madrid; and the emergence of the youthful Nicolás Paz on the international scene when he moved from Real Madrid to Cesc Fabregas’s Como Calcio and also made his official debut with the Argentine national team.
Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero at Tottenham, Lisandro Martínez and Alejandro Garnacho at Manchester United, Alexis Mac Allister at Liverpool, Giovanni Lo Celso on his return to Betis, Enzo Fernández captain of Chelsea, Nicolás González and his arrival at Juventus Turín, Exequiel Palacios, member of Xabi Alonso’s great Bayer Leverkusen, and Leonardo Balerdi, captain of Olympique de Marseille, are other names to mention. highlight in 2024.
