Enzo Fernandez was surrounded by Panama players, who were quarrelling for his shirt, after Argentina's first game back since winning the World Cup. The 22-year-old was awarded 'Best Young Player' in Qatar for his tremendous efforts in midfield as Lionel Scaloni's side won football's greatest honour.
He was an integral part of his country's success in December, featuring seven times and directly contributing towards two goals. Upon Argentina's return to home-soil at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium, the Chelsea star and his teammates were given a hero's welcome against Panama.
Thiago Almada handed his country the lead with less than quarter of an hour to spare before Lionel Messi doubled Argentina's lead with a fantastic free-kick. While the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner stole the limelight in Buenos Aires, it was Fernandez who the opposition were infatuated with at full-time.
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A handful of Panama players rushed to the Blues midfielder and reasoned as to why they should swap shirts with him. After much deliberation, Fernandez eventually picked an opposition player and gestured to swap shirts in the tunnel.
His excellent displays for Argentina and Chelsea appear to have bolstered his reputation around the world as one of the very best players in his position. Fernandez's record-breaking price tag will have certainly helped; Chelsea will pay Benfica £106.7million in six instalments, making him the most expensive player in Premier League history.
The Argentine's arrival sparked great controversy, with many pundits and fans claiming that the Blues paid well over the odds. Despite this, Fernandez has insisted that noise in the media does not faze him.
"I’ve learned something at every stage of my career," he told the Guardian. " But you’d have to say River was the club where I really learned my stuff. They really developed me as a person, on and off the field.
"River were the ones who opened the door to Europe for me. Then, to win the World Cup with that amazing group of players, it’s a dream isn’t it? It’s so hard to win the World Cup.
"But we had players with ability and a really strong mentality. You never lose that desire to learn. That’s what’s always signified my style, my play and my training – wanting to improve, wanting to be better as a footballer and as a man."
Then, when quizzed on his price tag, Fernandez replied: "These figures are nothing to do with me. It’s part of football. My job is to go out and give my best."
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