There was no doubt that the surprise call-up to the Argentina squad was the just-finished international break was Pablo Maffeo. The 26-year-old Spanish-born right-back was called upon by Lionel Scaloni for the 2026 World Cup qualification matches against Uruguay and Brazil, alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez.
It was a proud moment for Maffeo, who qualifies for La Albiceleste through his mother, and also Maffeo, whom he has played for since 2021. However, it proved to be nothing but a learning experience, as he failed to feature in the defeat to Uruguay or in the fiery victory over Brazil in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
In fact, Maffeo was not included in the matchday squad for either match, meaning he was not even on the substitutes bench.
Still, it would have been a valuable experience for Maffeo, and he will now know that he can be included again going forward, provided that he continues to perform for Mallorca over the remainder of the season and beyond.
