The generation that waits: Paz, Simeone and Barco yet to see knockout action as Argentina marches on

— As Lionel Messi continues to shatter records and Argentina grinds through the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup, a striking subplot is unfolding on the bench. Three of the Albiceleste’s most promising young talents—Nicolás Paz, Giuliano Simeone, and Valentín Barco—have watched every minute of the team’s high-stakes knockout matches from the sideline.

Combined, their tally in Argentina’s do-or-die fixtures reads a flat, unyielding zero.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Through two nerve-shredding knockout victories—a 3-2 extra-time escape against Cape Verde in the Round of 32 and a dramatic 3-2 comeback over Egypt in the Round of 16—Lionel Scaloni has turned to experience over exuberance time and again.

Nicolás Paz, the 21-year-old Como midfielder who is widely considered Messi’s direct understudy, accumulated 71 minutes across the group stage—10 minutes against Algeria and a full 61-minute start against Jordan. He completed 50 of 53 passes (94% accuracy) in that start. Yet when the margins tightened and elimination loomed, the youngster has not been called upon.

Valentín Barco, at 21 the youngest player in Argentina’s squad, has seen even less action. After a stellar season at Strasbourg, he managed just 19 minutes of World Cup football—all of them in the group-stage finale against Jordan. His knockout-stage ledger remains blank.

Giuliano Simeone, the 23-year-old son of Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone, started in that same Jordan match, deployed in an unfamiliar right-back role. He played 71 minutes. Since then? Nothing.

Scaloni’s Logic: Experience Over Exuberance

The rationale, according to those close to the coaching staff, is rooted in the unforgiving mathematics of knockout football. In matches where a single mistake can end a World Cup dream, Scaloni has prioritized players who have been through the fire before.

Against Cape Verde, the coach turned to Nicolás González, Julián Álvarez, Leandro Paredes, Nicolás Tagliafico, and Gonzalo Montiel. Against Egypt, the pattern held: González, Lautaro Martínez, Montiel, Nicolás Otamendi, and Facundo Medina entered the fray. Paz, Barco, and Simeone remained rooted to the bench.

“The coaching staff prioritizes the experience and tactical understanding of the usual members of the rotation” in decisive stages, one analysis noted. With Argentina’s midfield axis of Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, and Alexis Mac Allister virtually immovable, Scaloni has turned to Thiago Almada, Leandro Paredes, and Giovani Lo Celso as his trusted backups. Barco, for now, sits behind Lo Celso in the pecking order.

The Messi Shadow

For Paz, the challenge is uniquely daunting. The coaching staff views him as Messi’s natural replacement. But the captain has played virtually every available minute of the tournament, only ceding the pitch against Algeria—after completing a hat-trick—and in the Jordan dead rubber. As long as Messi remains fit and the games remain tight, Paz’s path to minutes is blocked by the greatest player in history.

A Precedent from Qatar

There is historical precedent for this approach. In the 2022 World Cup semifinal against Croatia, with Argentina cruising 3-0, Scaloni handed tournament debuts to Juan Foyth, Paulo Dybala, and Ángel Correa. The message was clear: in comfortable circumstances, the youngsters get their chance. In the crucible of knockout football, the veterans take the wheel.

What Lies Ahead

As Argentina prepares for a quarterfinal clash with Switzerland, the outlook for the trio remains uncertain. Unless the defending champions build a commanding lead—or unless injuries force Scaloni’s hand—Paz, Simeone, and Barco may well complete their World Cup knockout-stage experience without ever stepping onto the pitch.

For now, they remain symbols of Argentina’s future, watching from the bench as its glorious present unfolds before them. The zero in the minutes column is not a reflection of their talent, but of the ruthless calculus of a manager who knows that in World Cup knockouts, there is no tomorrow for the cautious—only for the experienced.