Javier Mascherano, the former Liverpool and Barcelona star, now coaching Argentina’s Under-20 team, made headlines during a friendly against Bolivia. His team led early, but Bolivia’s Nathan Tito was shown a red card just 13 minutes in for a challenge on Lautaro Millan.
Instead of playing with a man advantage, Mascherano pleaded with officials to allow Bolivia to replace Tito, ensuring the match remained 11 vs. 11. In a rare move, the referee and fourth official granted his request after agreement from both teams, prioritizing the match’s competitiveness over gaining an easy win. Despite Bolivia maintaining 11 players, they fell to a 4-0 defeat.
Fans praised Mascherano’s gesture, with one calling it an “elite mentality” for focusing on development over victory. Another noted it was a smart decision for a friendly match. The incident highlighted Mascherano’s dedication as his team prepares for the South American U-20 Championship in January, hoping to improve on their previous group-stage exit.
Argentina performance and stats
Argentina
Argentina is currently playing the WC Qualification South America. It lost its previous match 2-1 against Paraguay.
Argentina will play the next match in WC Qualification South America against Peru on Wednesday 20th of November in Buenos Aires. The prediction is Argentina winning the match.
