When Gareca was “close” to leading the National Team after almost leaving it out of a World Cup :: Olé

It was close. Very close. Or at least that’s what he felt Ricardo Gareca. The 66-year-old defender who – now with the Chilean diver – will meet the National Team for the fifth time. That same Argentina with which he has suffered certain disagreements. Like being left out of the 86 World Cup after having scored the qualifying goal. Or the faded illusion of directing it in that turbulent post-World Cup Russia, with the cycle of Jorge Sampaoli past expiration and the bet on Lionel Scaloni still off the agenda.

“I saw it nearby”, Tigre confessed some time ago, acknowledging that he considered himself part of “that process” in which “there was a lot of indecision.” As many doubts as there are names in the deck: Mauricio Pochettino, Marcelo Gallardo, Diego Simeone… Among them, Gareca, who had asked the FPF for a month before giving a response to the proposal to extend his contract, now extinct after the World Cup in which Peru had been left out in the first round (they were third in the group behind France and Denmark).

But his albiceleste illusion did not go beyond that status: Without official approaches with the AFA, Gareca’s continuity with Peru would be sealed some time later. He would even complete another Qualifying process, which would culminate with his team competing in an unsuccessful play-off.

Now, Gareca, however, was not affected or distrusted by that unfulfilled dream. Without going any further, this year the level of competitiveness of Lionel Scaloni’s coaching staff stood out, who won both matches against Flaco: 2-0 in Lima (2020) and 1-0 at Monumental (2021). In both of them, surpassing him football-wise.

This confrontation, however, will be different depending on the instance and the context. Because it is Chile again returning to MetLife where it won the Copa América Centenario against Argentina. And again, with an Argentine coach on the bench – that time it was led by Juan Antonio Pizzi. Also because the result of the match could give relief to the National Team in the face of classification, or awaken its needs for the last date (it will be measured on Saturday against Peru, at the Miami Dolphins stadium).

Although it is clear that the level of stress that the face to face in New Jersey will generate will be much lower than that of that 0-0 in 2017 in the Bombonera. A tie between Gareca and Sampaoli’s teams that left Argentina on the verge of being left out of the next World Cup. Situation that would be resolved thanks to the magic of Messi in Quito almost a year before the setback against France in the round of 16, the end of the Sampa era, the vacant coaching position with a variety of candidates. Of that chance that the Tiger felt so close.