"Chiello" would have hoped for an exit from the stage more up to his record of service.

But the 37-year-old Italian veteran has shown his age in the face of the technique and liveliness of the Argentine attackers, who did not come to give him gifts for his retirement.

On the first goal, the captain azzurro was beaten in vivacity by Lautaro Martinez, forgotten in the six meters after a decisive kidney blow from Messi on the left (28th).

On the second, he was beaten in the race by Di Maria launched in the axis (45th + 1).

And he did not reappear after the break, definitively leaving the Nazionale for a one-sided second half in favor of Argentina, totally dominating.

Italy appeared in the image of its tossed captain: never able to match the Albiceleste.

Argentina won for the second time - in three editions - this intercontinental trophy after its success in 1993 against Denmark (1-1 after, 5 shots on goal to 4).

France had won the first edition in 1985 against Uruguay (2-0).

Reply to Mbappe

Lionel Scaloni's team, undefeated for 32 consecutive matches, has been full of confidence less than six months before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (November 21-December 18) where it will meet Saudi Arabia, Mexico in the first round. and Poland.

By dominating the European champions, even very pale compared to the team which had seduced during Euro-2020, Messi and his partners give a small answer to Kylian Mbappé.

Argentinian midfielder Angel Di Maria after scoring his team's second goal in the friendly against Italy in London on June 1, 2022 Adrian DENNIS AFP

The star striker of the Blues had annoyed some Argentinians by considering that South American football was "not as advanced" as that of the Old Continent, for lack of being able, for its players, to play "high level matches all the time ".

On the lawn of Wembley, less than a year after the "Magic Nights" concluded with a coronation against England, it is however the European champion who has been exceeded, apart from a fairly balanced first half hour. .

Morale still damaged by the fiasco of the play-off lost against North Macedonia (0-1), in March, which deprived it of the World Cup for the second time in a row, Roberto Mancini's Nazionale ran after the ball, without ideas and without legs.

question marks

Gianluigi Donnarumma was reduced to doing what he could in the second half to prevent Argentina from scoring two or three more goals, which might not have been usurped.

"Gigio" notably had the right to "personal training" offered by his teammates this season at Paris SG, Di Maria (60th, 62nd) and Messi (65th, 67th, 69th).

The doorman, best player of the Euro last summer, also avoided a goal-gag by nothing by stopping just in front of his line a missed back pass from Bonucci (56th).

He finally lost again, for 3-0, only in additional time on a strike from the returning Paulo Dybala (90th + 4).

An evening to forget for Roberto Mancini and his players, the enchanted parenthesis of the Euro being well and truly closed.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saves the ball on his goal line during the friendly match between Italy and Argentina, London, June 1, 2022 Ben Stansall AFP

After this gala evening, the coach who remained in charge despite the Macedonian fiasco will launch a new reconstruction from Saturday against Germany, in Bologna, in the League of Nations.

Without Chiellini, but with capital question marks.

© 2022 AFP