One of the great virtues of Lionel Scaloni at the helm of the Argentine National Team is how he managed to embrace and integrate great and new talents through young footballers who play abroad. On this occasion the big surprise of the DT in his last list of summoned is Nicols Paz.
The 20-year-old attacking midfielder born in Spain, son of Pablo Paz, the former Argentine defender, is the new appearance of the so-called Europibes. This label refers to those footballers born in Europe, but with Argentine roots, as happens with
Alejandro Garnachofor example, who was conceived on Spanish soil, but because he had an Argentine maternal family, he chose to defend the Albiceleste.
I love both passes, but It is the one that represents me the most because of how football is lived and because of my father.. It is a pride to follow in his footsteps, were the statements of the 20-year-old midfielder regarding his choice for Argentina in dialogue with Dsports.
Who is Nico Paz, Scaloni’s new surprise
Regarding Nicols, born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on September 8, 2004, who was summoned for the first time in his short career to be part of the senior squad of the Argentine national team, he currently plays for Como in Italy, a team that bought him the half of his move to Real Madrid.
There, in the
White House Paz began his football career by making his senior debut in a 3-0 victory over Sporting Braga in the 2023 Champions League, a competition that would later be in the hands of the team from the Spanish capital.
Then, although his stay in the Madrid first team was short-lived, in his next match in the highest club competition in Europe, Paz scored his first goal as a professional in the 3-2 victory against Napoli.
Even with that goal, the midfielder became the second youngest Argentine to score in the Champions League after Lionel Messi.
He currently plays in Italian football defending the colors of Como, which pays 6 million euros for 50% of his pass. Seeking greater continuity, upon his arrival to the team recently promoted to first division, the Argentine has been carrying a high level that ultimately generated Scaloni’s appointment.
In fact, he recently had a stellar performance (on September 24) in the 3-2 victory over Atalanta, where he made one of the assists and made a huge play for another of the goals, thus allowing his team to triumph and go ahead. middle of the table with eight points after six dates.
His time through the youth ranks in the National Team
Before making the jump to the senior team, Paz had his journey through the lower divisions of the Albiceleste team under the wing of Javier Mascherano. In May 2022 he was summoned for the Maurice Revello Tournament and then was part of the champion team of the Alcudia Tournament that same year.
In April 2023 he was part of the pre-list to compete in the U-20 World Cup that was held in the country, but despite this, since he was not loaned by Real Madrid, he did not compete in the tournament, facing the same fate for the Pre-Olympic. and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Europibes, increasingly in the National Team
Nicols Paz is the last name of the footballers born or nationalized in Europe, but who, having Argentine roots, ended up leaning towards playing for the Argentine National Team.
In this way, this appearance of the Europibes is not something new for both Scaloni and the Argentine team. Previously Alejandro Garnacho, Valentin Carboni y Matas Soul They met the same characteristics.
Garnacho is the most resonant name of the three since at 20 years old he is settled in Manchester United and is already a fixture in Scaloni’s call-ups. He was even champion of the last Copa América, adding a few minutes.
The forward was born in Madrid, he came to play in the lower divisions of Spain, but because he had an Argentine mother he was able to choose where he would play and he leaned towards the albiceleste.
Following in the footsteps of the English team’s attacker, Carboni is already another of the recognizable faces within the variants that Scaloni’s CT is considering. The 19-year-old midfielder who is a nationalized Italian, but whose father is Argentine, today playing for Olympique de Marseille, also chose Argentina with whom he won the 2024 America’s Cup.
The last case in the senior team is that of Matas Soul. The man from Mar del Plata, a nationalized Italian, also chose the colors of Argentina to play at the national team level. Regarding his short career, he was loaned last year from Juventus to Parma where he had a tremendous season that later generated interest from Roma in acquiring his services.
Finally, another case that fits this characteristic, which has not yet been cited by Scaloni to the greatest extent, is Luka Romero. The forward who is going to join Boca in the last market, today playing for Almera in Spain, is Mexican by birth, but with an Argentine mother. Under that condition he chose to play for Argentina, until now, in the lower divisions.
JP
