One of the World Cup favourites will have no players in the Champions League final

[p]After winning the 2022 World Cup, an explosion of joy was experienced in Buenos Aires as an emotional volcano erupted that had been plugged for too long - a good 36 and a half years.[/p][p]Six months later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarez-julian/bBHauDIC/"]Julian Alvarez[/a] of Manchester City and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lautaro/QHk1CXUh/"]Lautaro Martinez[/a] of Inter, the two centre forwards of the world champions, faced each other in Istanbul during the Champions League decider. The former was the winner, who only stepped onto the pitch of the Ataturk Olympic Stadium for the pre-match warm-up and then to lift the cup to the sky.[/p][p][b]These days, however, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a], who will enter the World Cup as one of the favourites to lift the trophy on July 19th in New Jersey, will not have any representatives on the pitch when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] duel this [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/psg-CjhkPw0k/?mid=EJZRaQ15"]Saturday in the Champions League final.[/a][/b][/p][p]The other main candidates for World Cup success will have at least one representative each.[/p][embed guid="72ceb0fc-f7b7-4e3b-b751-dde4e522e4be" url="https://x.com/ChampionsLeague/status/2058827912552563071" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Martinez the exception to the rule[/h2][p]Last week, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-emiliano/ziCcc5jM/"]Emiliano Martinez[/a] shrugged off the tag of someone who had never won anything with Aston Villa. Of the probable 26 players who could be chosen by Lionel Scaloni to represent Argentina at the World Cup, only Martinez, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/buendia-emiliano/dYDvGYIu/"]Emiliano Buendia[/a] (also of Villa), and goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/benitez-walter/rVwIjuW2/"]Walter Benitez[/a], who is with Crystal Palace, have gone all the way in a European cup this season. The latter two, however, will probably not make the final squad.[/p][p]At the Puskas Arena, the only representative of the world champions will be [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heinze-gabriel/nZLopMDd/"]Gabriel Heinze[/a], an assistant of Mikel Arteta, who will see his Spanish compatriots [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raya-david/nkVV0IXb/"]David Raya[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zubimendi-martin/fNI6Gsdr/"]Martin Zubimendi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Mikel Merino[/a] take on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruiz-fabian/l6HSH2Uo/"]Fabian Ruiz[/a] in the showpiece event.[/p][p]For Portugal, there will be [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendes-nuno/ne2xCTJj/"]Nuno Mendes[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neves-joao/hCbYVsXQ/"]Joao Neves[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vitinha/Sz9SH7zj/"]Vitinha[/a], while France will be represented by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barcola-bradley/lhGD3RgS/"]Bradley Barcola[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doue-desire/KIUWH2Jq/"]Desire Doue[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zaire-emery-warren/neJeseDL/"]Warren Zaire-Emery[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hernandez-lucas/x2fvnkud/"]Lucas Hernandez[/a].[/p][image alt="Emiliano Martinez won a European trophy with Aston Villa" id="b6d1c346-8818-4ea1-8bf4-a604db95dd6f" credit-line="REUTERS/Umit Bektas" guid="7c2cb141-b4d7-44ee-afb8-20ef8c53eebc" original-width="3173" original-height="2193" /][p]Among the other nations with more pedigree, England should not be left out; they will see [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eze-eberechi/Stf4BYFn/"]Eberechi Eze[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Declan Rice[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/madueke-chukwunonso/Ac57P9Pt/"]Noni Madueke[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Bukayo Saka[/a] among those on the team sheets on Saturday. Finally, despite not going through their best moment ever, Brazil will have [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gabriel/tEcnVXMS/"]Gabriel Magalhaes[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinelli/dITe5M88/"]Gabriel Martinelli[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquinhos/UFfev8HP/"]Marquinhos[/a] in action.[/p][h2]2023 feels like an eternity ago[/h2][p]It seems like an eternity since the summer of 2023, when Argentina-born players were abundant in various teams that reached the European finals. In addition to the aforementioned Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/correa-joaquin/IkcGiQBb/"]Joaquin Correa[/a] formed part of the Inter squad that played in Istanbul.[/p][p]Sevilla's Albiceleste colony that won the Europa League final against Roma featured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/montiel-gonzalo/rN9tdN16/"]Gonzalo Montiel[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/papu-gomez/jD6cXvh5/"]Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lamela-erik/4r69VfV2/"]Erik Lamela[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ocampos-lucas/2s2ATpKI/"]Lucas Ocampos[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dybala-paulo/W4myUVXR/"]Paulo Dybala[/a] was in opposition.[/p][p]The Conference League final between Fiorentina and West Ham that year saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gonzalez-nicolas/ID3evg0L/"]Nico Gonzalez[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lucas/KOGWbJk6/"]Lucas Martinez Quarta[/a], then playing in the ranks of the Italians, facing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lanzini-manuel/QT3lIj4N/"]Manuel Lanzini[/a], then playing for the English side.[/p][p][b]Today, however, despite a flourishing period certified by winning the Copa America in 2024 and dominantly topping the South American World Cup qualifying, the Seleccion[i] [/i]paradoxically no longer stands out for its individuality as much as for its collective.[/b][/p][image alt="Julian Alvarez challenges Declar Rice in the semi-final between Arsenal and Atletico" id="eb7e49b9-329a-4ec4-8eef-8bcc0c46ac04" credit-line="REUTERS/Dylan Martinez" guid="1776198b-0b43-4e93-bb38-531ddf138f23" original-width="3983" original-height="2648" /][p]With the exception of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a], who will turn 39 during the World Cup and is suffering from a muscle overload that could affect his approach to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/algeria-nc87N1BR/argentina-f9OppQjp/?mid=UP9bEsOr"]Argentina's World Cup opener against Algeria[/a], Dibu Martinez, Julian Alvarez and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-enzo/nZnbEVWP/"]Enzo Fernandez[/a] seem to be the only Argentinians who currently boast unquestionable status at their clubs.[/p][p]In defence, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/molina-nahuel/M3TzoLot/"]Nahuel Molina[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tagliafico-nicolas/jgaGiVOl/"]Nicolas Tagliafico[/a] do not start for Atletico Madrid and Lyon, while veteran [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/otamendi-nicolas/KSBVnX8R/"]Nicolas Otamendi[/a] is leaving Benfica and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/romero-cristian/jBZTWXMn/"]Cuti Romero[/a] is now a foot and a half out the door at Tottenham.[/p][p]In the middle of the pitch, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mac-allister-alexis/fDPhMB8M/"]Alexis Mac Allister[/a] has paid the price for Liverpool's lacklustre year, but should still retain his status as a starter with the Albiceleste, while on the wings, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simeone-giuliano/IJTJu41i/"]Giuliano Simeone[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/almada-thiago/CSKGShgi/"]Thiago Almada[/a] could provide options.[/p][p]The absence of a totem like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/di-maria-angel/SISkkDSQ/"]Angel Di Maria[/a], who is having one of his best seasons ever at Rosario Central despite being 38 years old, could be felt at the World Cup. With this in mind, it will be crucial to see how [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paz-martinez-nicolas/GG6EYRT0/"]Nico Paz[/a], 22, who has already shown he can act as Messi's apprentice, will fit in.[/p][image alt="Argentina's upcoming matches" id="a29fe617-6f17-48a3-97f5-65e1105cc39a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="63ecf868-9e48-4ada-8f23-143db2334cbc" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]As in 2022, all the responsibility will fall on Scaloni, whose low profile was necessary to bring home a historic title that allowed an entire country to shake off an entrenched negativity.[/p][p]The absence of Argentine players in the Champions League final might just be anecdotal. After all, the strength of the current Seleccion, the best team globally in terms of recent titles won (three in three calendar years from 2021-24), is the cohesion of an extraordinary group managed by a talented but calm coach.[/p]