Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Trainer the Argentine national team Lionel Scaloni recalling past glories in Malaysia as the Tango team celebrated their 2022 World Cup success.
Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup was so special because it was the end of 36 years of waiting.
Before the era of Lionel Messi and his companions, Argentina won in 1986 with players like Diego Maradona, Jorge Valdano, Nery Pumpido and Jorge Burruchaga.
After that Argentina really didn’t run out of talent. Year after year, Albiceleste always has players full of potential.
One of the golden generations under Maradona and friends was born at the Under-20 World Cup in Malaysia in 1997. At that time Argentina won the event also known as the Junior World Cup.
25 years ago Scaloni was one of the pillars of Argentina. Alongside a string of famous names in the 1990s and 2000s, such as Walter Samuel, Juan Riquelme, Pablo Aimar, Scaloni took home the junior trophy after defeating Uruguay in the final.
In celebrating Argentina as world champions at Lusail Stadium, Scaloni wore a different jersey from his team. The dark blue shirt was Argentina’s match shirt at the 1997 Under 20 World Cup when Scaloni was on the podium.
Not only was Scaloni a member of the Argentina national team at the 1997 Under-20 World Cup. In the assistant coach’s chair were Samuel and Aimar who together with Scaloni won the championship in Malaysia.
The generations of Scaloni, Samuel and Aimar failed to deliver the World Cup trophy. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Argentina never made it to the semifinals.
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