The young midfielder of Atlanta United (United States) Thiago Almada, who had played only a few minutes at the World Cup, released in the 78th minute the Albiceleste at the Monumental, in a night of celebration, that the Panamanians have long threatened to frustrate despite a rain of Argentine chances.

The icing on the cake that the privileged 83,000 (more than 1.5 million people had tried to buy a place online) were waiting for: the inevitable Leo closed the ball with a sumptuous direct free kick (89th), his 800th goal in 1,017 professional matches.

The players gathered in a joyful round in the center of the field were then able to "relive Lusail", and once again, Messi was presented with the trophy in hand, in a capsized stadium.

"Let's enjoy that, that third star. It's very difficult to win a World Cup," Messi told the microphone from the pitch, saying "not to forget all the players with whom we tried to lift this Cup without succeeding" in previous editions.

Argentine fans in Buenos Aires before the friendly match against Panama, March 23, 2023 © Emiliano Lasalvia / AFP

For the Albiceleste, it was the return to an Argentine lawn, and the first real communion with their hinchada since the aborted parade of December 20, when the excess (4 to 5 million on the bus route) had forced to abort the parade of victory, finished ... by helicopter.

Tears in the eye

Smug smiles like Messi, tears in their eyes for "Dibu" Martinez or Lionel Scaloni, the world champions, their children at their side, heard the Monumental sing before the match "Muchachos", the song that became the anthem of Argentine fans at the World Cup, and forever associated with the 2022 title.

The pre-match had been a long party of more than four hours with concerts, fireworks, rebroadcast of images of the World Cup, and incessant succession of songs to the glory of the team or players.

Lionel Messi (center) celebrates with his teammates the 800th goal of his career, on March 23, 2023 in Buenos Aires in a friendly against Panama © JUAN MABROMATA / AFP

Did the part really matter? It saw an outrageous dominance of the Argentines against Panamanians bow-butted in defense, but disciplined and not clumsy. Clearly not come to watch the champions play, even if they could only frame one shot.

Panama, 61st in the FIFA rankings, also fielded a second team, coach Thomas Christiansen - who had delegated an assistant to Buenos Aires - announced that he was focusing on an important match of his team against Costa Rica, Tuesday in the Concacaf Nations League.

In turn MacAllister, Fernandez, Messi, Di Maria, made the Panamanian goalkeeper José Guerra shine, when he was not saved by his post (Messi). It was another upright, on another Messi free-kick, that sent the ball back to Almada, deceiving Guerra with a cross-shot.

The Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires during the Argentina-Panama friendly match, March 23, 2023 © Luis ROBAYO / AFP

"It was a very good test and a taste of what lies ahead," Scaloni said at the final whistle. "All of them will come to us now with the intention of not letting themselves be beaten, to make things complicated for us." The party ended with a lap of honor of the players accompanied by their wives and children.

After Panama, it will be Tuesday the turn of the small Caribbean island (160,000 inhabitants) of Curacao, 86th FIFA, to serve as a kind foil to the Albiceleste, in the provinces this time, in Santiago del Estero (north).

© 2023 AFP