Mascherano’s Under 20s begin their journey towards the World Cup: everything you need to know about the Colombian South American

Maybe it’s a nice wink to fate that of the team led by Javier Mascheranocaptain of numerous battles and some painful defeats, who appears for the first time the three stars on the AFA shield on the national team shirt. Is that this Thursday the South American Sub-20 starts in Colombia and Argentina will try to keep one of four places for the upcoming 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cupwhich will be held in Indonesia from 20 May to 11 June.

A commonplace says that life is a wheel: everything starts again at a certain moment. Mascherano, who is now 38 years old and is the youth coach, must feel something like this. It happens that 20 years ago, on January 28, 2003, mask He lifted the South American trophy as captain which took place in Uruguay. In that team led by Hugo Tocalli, Fernando Cavenaghi, Carlos Tevez, Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Pinola and Fernando Belluschi also shone, among others.

That tournament on Uruguayan soil began Mascherano’s journey as a professional player: his debut in the senior national team would come months later, first, and then in River. It could be said that this South American who will play in Colombia will mark his coaching career.

how to play

It will be an ultra-demanding championship: matches will be played every 48 hours. The tournament will be divided into two parts: group stage and final stage. The ten teams divided into two groups of five will participate in the group stage., whose top seeds are Colombia, the hosts, and Ecuador, the last champions. In group A (which could be called “death”) there will be Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Peru. While in group B Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile and Bolivia will compete.

The group stage will last until Saturday 28 January and all matches will be played in Cali (Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero and Estadio Deportivo Cali). Once the first phase is over, the top three in each zone will qualify for the Final Phase, which will take place entirely in Bogotá (Metropolitan Roof Stadium and El Campín Stadium) from Tuesday 31 January.

The three best teams in each group will face each other in the last stage until Sunday 12 February and the one finishing with the most points will be the new champion (there could be a tie on points and definition of the league by goal difference, etc.). The top four will also qualify for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup Indonesia which will be played between 20 May and 11 June. Additionally, those who finish first to third will earn the right to play at the upcoming Pan American Games in Santiago 2023.

It was said: the tournament begins this Thursday with duels between Peru-Brazil and Colombia-Paraguay; Argentina will be free on the first date. They will face Paraguay on Saturday, Brazil on Monday, Peru on Wednesday and Colombia on Friday.

“We will have to play the first phase every 48 hours, so it was important to form a good team. We are happy with what we have”Ensures Mascherano. And expanded: “It will be the most important challenge, because these are my first steps as a coach and because I represent Argentine football through the Under-20 team. This is a great responsibility, not only for me but for the whole team that accompanies me”.

A team with heavy absences

Argentina will not be able to count on its rising star: Alejandro Garnacho. With clubs not required to release players at the South American tournament, Manchester United authorities have preferred to keep the 18-year-old striker. Nor Luka Romero (Lazio), Matías Soulé (Juventus) and brothers Franco and Valentín Carboni (Cagliari and Inter respectively) on loan. Of those playing abroad, only Facundo Buonanotte, from Brighton in England, who will play under number 10, and Nicolás Paz, from Real Madrid, have been cleared.

“We knew it would be difficult for them to come. The reality is that clubs are under no obligation to give us up for a South American, but despite that we did a tour of Europe a month and a half ago where we spoke to every club to see what availability there was, in many cases we knew it was practically impossible because they are making an excellent gift and it is also a good thing that they can continue to grow in their clubs, which are important, and that at some point we can make them count. we made agreements knowing the difficulty there was, but we are very happy with the list because we have guys who are very good and who are at the same level as those who aren’t.”Masked explained.

In any case, in the list there are players of hierarchy and with several matches in the First Division, such as defenders Valentín Gómez (Vélez) and Agustín Giay (San Lorenzo), midfielders Máximo Perrone (Vélez) and Gino Infantino (Rosario Central), and forwards Ignacio Maestro Puch (Atlético Tucumán) and Alejo Véliz (Rosario Central).

The list

archers: Federico Gomes Gerth (Tiger), Franco Herrera (Newell’s) and Francisco Gómez (Racing). defenders: Lautaro Di Lollo (Boca), Nahuel Génez (Boca), Julián Aude (Lanús), Brian Aguilar (Lanús), Agustín Giay (San Lorenzo), Valentín Gómez (Vélez), Francisco Marco (Defense and Justice) and Ulises Ciccioli ( Central Rosary). midfielders: Maximiliano González (Lanús), Máximo Perrone (Vélez), Axel Encinas (River), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton), Gino Infantino (Rosario Central) and Nicolás Paz (Real Madrid). strikers: Ignacio Maestro Puch (Atlético Tucumán), Alejo Véliz (Rosario Central), Brian Aguirre (Newell’s), Santiago Castro (Vélez), Nicolás Vallejo (Independiente) and Julián Fernández (Vélez).