Alejandro Garnacho is the Manchester United wonderkid who has the chance to play alongside Lionel Messi before Cristiano Ronaldo - and it’s all down to former Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano.
Garnacho, 17, has been called into Argentina’s World Cup squad for qualifying games against Venezuela and Ecuador as coach Lionel Scaloni looks to take a look at a number of talented teenagers with a ticket to Qatar already booked. Born in Madrid but eligible to play for the South Americans because his mother was born in Argentina, the winger was snapped up by United from Atletico Madrid’s academy almost two years ago.
He is yet to make his senior debut at Old Trafford - although he did play for United’s EDS team against Bradford in the EFL Trophy. But Scaloni was urged to bring the winger into his international fold by Mascherano, who has been keeping tabs on Garnacho since he was at Atletico.
Mascherano, the former Anfield favourite who played a record 147 times for his country, was appointed coach of Argentina’s Under-20s team in January - and immediately made it clear to his federation that they should try to snatch Garnacho away from Spain.
The Barcelona legend was so enthusiastic in his praise for the youngster that Scaloni then agreed to name him in an extended 44-man squad for the upcoming qualifiers along with six other teenagers.
Garnacho said: “I have duel nationality, so this is a unique opportunity for me. I’m looking forward to the moment and will make the most of it. I was born in Madrid, but my mother is Argentine, as is her entire family, and it will be an honour to be able to represent Argentina.
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“Justin (Cochrane) and Darren Fletcher are two members of the club who are always very attentive to me, supporting me in all kinds of decisions. And outside the club is Javier Mascherano, who is Argentina’s Under-20 coach. Since they were interested in me two or three months ago, they have always been very attentive, worrying about me.
"He is very attentive, and I am very grateful. I have always dreamed of sharing a team with stars of this level, and of learning a lot from them. It is a dream to be able to share a team with some of the idols of my childhood, so I am going to take advantage of it to improve."
Argentina have now added an Under-20s friendly game against the United States to their schedule to ensure their youngsters get some game-time, as well as a practice game against Buenos Aires giants River Plate. But there is still an outside chance that Garnacho will get to line up alongside Messi.
The Paris Saint-Germain star missed the qualifiers against Chile and Colombia in January after testing positive for Covid. And his chances of linking up with Scaloni’s squad this time were also in doubt after he missed PSG’s humbling defeat by Monaco at the weekend with flu.
But Messi insists he has recovered and he arrived at Ezeiza Airport just outside Buenos Aires on his private jet with team-mates Angel di Maria and Leandro Paredes this morning after a stop-over in Asuncion del Paraguay. Garnacho will be looking to make an impact: he has scored five times to help United reach the FA Youth Cup Final for the first time since 2011 and has already played for Spain at Under-18s level.
FIFA regulations allow players aged under 21 to switch their international allegiance even if they have made three senior international appearances; so Garnacho could opt to play for Spain even if he makes his debut for Argentina in the coming days.
