00:06Argentina are preparing for one final major tournament with an attack focused
00:10around the greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi. But the future is in
00:17safe hands, with a host of dynamic young forwards ready to lead the Alba Celeste
00:22into a new era. Franco Mastantoano is still a teenager,
00:26while Fecundo Buonanotte and Alejandro Garnacho are not much older, but all three have already
00:34amassed plenty of top-level experience. And while it may be some time before they stamp
00:42their mark on the international scene, Julien Alvarez will ensure a seamless transition between
00:47generations.
00:51Alvarez will be 26 when the World Cup comes around and has quietly amassed over 50 caps
00:57and an astonishing array of major honours.
01:01Alvarez is an extraordinary player. He is the best player we have and we have to take
01:05care of him. We are going to help him to get even better.
01:09Alvarez found the back of the net four times during the World Cup qualification, matching
01:14his haul from the 2022 finals in Qatar. His versatility, pace and close control make him
01:23a coach's dream. Able to link up play, take the game on in wide areas and finish with confidence.
01:31His hard work off the ball is also often credited.
01:36His appetite for leading the press was perfected during a two-year spell at Manchester City, during
01:42which he celebrated the English Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League treble.
01:50Those successes came after Alvarez had already secured the major club trophies on offer in Argentina
01:56and South America, at the beginning of his career with River Plate.
02:03Alvarez now applies his trade at Atletico Madrid, under the coaching of countryman Diego Simeone.
02:13I felt like I needed a change in my professional career, a new challenge and I think this is a
02:22club
02:22where I can get the tools and the space to become the best version of myself as a footballer.
02:31After studying the genius Messi for the first half of his career, Alvarez is ready to take over from the
02:37national hero and lead the line for Argentina.
02:43The 2026 World Cup will represent a changing of the guard for the Albi Celeste but with such quality
02:49already embedded in the squad, the future looks bright.
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