How Scaloni’s Argentina Fared Without Messi
This is how it went for the Argentine national team when Messi was not present during Scaloni's time.
With the Argentina national team already through to the Copa América Quarterfinals thanks to their 2-0 win over Canada and 1-0 win against Chile, Lionel Scaloni's squad will be looking to finish the group stage perfectly by beating Peru in matchday three, albeit with one crucial change in the starting lineup—without Lionel Messi.
Messi will not be present in Argentina's final group match against Peru due to discomfort he experienced during the game against Chile. He will undergo tests on Friday, so the coach has decided to keep him on the bench to avoid risking him for the knockout stage.
However, the Argentine team doesn't fare too badly without Lionel Messi. Since the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when Scaloni took over the South American team, Messi has missed 17 out of 72 matches. Of those 17 matches, Argentina has achieved 13 wins, three draws, and one loss.
The only loss came against Brazil in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a last-minute goal by Joao Miranda in the 93rd minute in October 2018.
Moreover, after winning the Copa América in Brazil in 2021, Messi missed six games, and Argentina won all of them. Therefore, Scaloni should have no problems putting on a good performance against Peru and achieving a good result even without Lionel Messi.
