Argentina has a squad with an average age of 27.04 years, the ninth oldest in the World Cup. Despite Lionel Scaloni's attempt to lower the average age compared to Qatar, with debutants like Nico Paz, Valentín Barco, or Giuliano Simeone, one of the coach's main concerns is recovery in an exhausting tournament that is expected to last 41 days. If Argentina managed the first phase without much wear and tear, due to the schedule, opponents, and the ease with which they achieved results, the match against Cape Verde tested the plan developed by the Albiceleste's coaching staff.
"What comes next? Rest. I don't know how the World Cup is structured, but we had six days and now we have three and a half. When you need rest the most, you have less," lamented Scaloni, who, along with his fitness coach Luis Martín, opted for a method created during the Beijing Olympics, focusing on recovery by motivating the footballers.
The mechanics are simple: each player has to complete a recovery card with 150 points per week, earned by completing a series of tasks, each with a specific score. In the gym at the Compass Minerals base camp in Kansas, there is a screen where they can see that 14 minutes of cycling earn them 40 points, five of foam rolling are 10, while cold baths and massages are 30, similar to four minutes of upper body strength training. Throughout the week, the goal is for everyone to have 150 points on their card, earned as they see fit with the guidance and advice of the medical staff.
This method was created by Australian coach Stephen Bird for the Indonesian delegation before the 2008 Games, allowing athletes to take responsibility for their recovery while being flexible enough to adapt to workload or weather conditions, making hydration essential, for example. In fact, they will arrive in Atlanta for the round of 16 match against Egypt with only one training session under their belt, as a thunderstorm deprived them of a session.
In addition to the physical aspect, Scaloni has also taken care of mental recovery. Argentina is the defending champion, one of the top favorites, and the coach does not want the team to feel overwhelmed by that responsibility. That's why, as they have been doing since they gathered in Ezeiza, they maintain the tradition of having a barbecue, and in some cases like Dibu Martínez, even cooking it. A moment of relaxation that they won't be able to repeat until after the round of 16 match against Egypt, when they are expected to return to their base in Kansas if they reach the quarter-finals. Before that, the focus is solely on Mo Salah's Pharaohs and ensuring they don't wear out as much as Cape Verde did.