In the aftermath of their hard-fought World Cup semi-final triumph over England in Atlanta, Argentina's jubilant squad made an intriguing discovery that could prove invaluable for their upcoming final.
Amidst the post-match revelry, several members of La Albiceleste located England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s water bottle. Attached to it was a meticulously prepared 'cheat sheet' detailing a potential penalty shootout strategy.
This tactical aid featured the name of every Argentina player, accompanied by specific instructions for the England gloveman, designed to guide him in saving potential spot-kicks.
While some directives offered intricate guidance, such as faking a movement or keeping out a trailing leg, others were notably simpler. Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada, for instance, had the curiously concise instruction: "Feel on the day."
The fascinating image of Pickford’s blueprint was later shared on Instagram by Argentina fitness coach Luis Martin. Among those scrutinizing the notes was Lionel Messi, alongside Nicolas Gonzalez and Marcos Senesi. The leader in the Golden Boot race displayed a slightly puzzled expression, given the instructions were penned in English, prompting Senesi, who recently completed a move to Tottenham, to gesture the meaning of "Fake left, dive right"—the specific directive Pickford had for Messi. This instruction suggested Pickford had anticipated a change of pace from the superstar, whose two previous missed penalties at this World Cup had both been directed towards the goalkeeper’s left.
The bottle then made its way to Enzo Fernandez, who had equalised Anthony Gordon’s opener with a sensational strike from outside the box. Pickford’s simple instruction for Fernandez read: "Stand central." Fernandez’s visibly relieved reaction, followed by a gesture skyward, strongly suggested Pickford had accurately predicted his preferred penalty routine.
This unexpected revelation could provide Argentina with valuable tactical insight ahead of their World Cup final clash against Spain on Sunday. While there’s no guarantee Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simon will possess identical notes, the meticulous preparation evident in England’s strategy suggests Argentina’s players may now re-evaluate their penalty routines.
For individuals like Fernandez, this might necessitate practicing spot-kicks aimed at either side of the goalkeeper, rather than relying on a central shot, which both Pickford and potentially Simon might anticipate. A penalty shootout in a World Cup final would, however, be remarkably familiar territory for Argentina, having secured the 2022 title against France in such a manner. That victory marked only the third time in history a World Cup final had been decided by penalties, following Italy’s win in 2006 and Brazil’s triumph in 1994.