How Argentina’s Julian Alvarez Could ‘Complete’ Football at Paris 2024
At just 24 years old, Julian Alvarez is on the brink of effectively ‘completing’ football. The Argentine has the perfect opportunity to do just that over the next few weeks, as he contests for an Olympic gold at Paris 2024 to complete his collection. Less than two years ago, he was part of the Argentina squad that triumphed in Qatar to win the 2022 World Cup. It came just months before winning the treble — consisting of the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League — in his debut campaign with Manchester City. It is a feat that saw him become the first player in history to both become a world champion and a domestic treble winner in the same season. Also a Copa America and Finalissima champion, there is little left to win before Alvarez can boast that he has won it all in football.
Olympic Football: Argentina at Paris 2024
Argentina knows exactly what it takes to win gold at the Games. They’ve done it twice before – Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 – so this is not new territory for them. Better yet, the man in charge of leading them towards glory, Javier Mascherano, is one of those two-time gold medallists, winning one alongside arguably the greatest of all time, Lionel Messi.
But their Paris 2024 campaign did not get off to the smoothest start. In a dramatic match against Morocco, Argentina was beaten 2-1. Despite equalizing deep into stoppage time, the referee ruled out Argentina’s equalizer for offside, resulting in a shock defeat. However, Alvarez shone brightly in their subsequent game against Iraq, registering two assists and leading by example to guide his team to a crucial 3-1 victory.
All things considered, the Argentines have the makings of an all-time campaign. While there are always trophies to be won in domestic football, nothing quite eclipses a treble – and when it comes to international football, Alvarez has ticked every major accolade off his list.
