A smiling Enzo Fernandez made his way through the Argentina mixed zone. They had just defeated Australia 2-1 to advance to the World Cup quarter-finals. Journalists from around the world shouted his name.
“Enzo! Enzo!” they yelled as he hurried past, winking at one group of reporters and continuing towards the stadium exit. There was a swagger to his stride, as there should be.
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The 21-year-old defensive midfielder started Argentina’s last two matches against Poland and Australia and in both games his intelligent play, passing accuracy and highlight-reel moments stood out.
Two months before the start of the World Cup, Fernandez’s place in Argentina’s 26-man squad was not guaranteed. He was considered a young prospect on the rise. His performances for River Plate and Benfica, who he joined in July, put him on Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni’s radar, but experienced players like Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez and Exequiel Palacios were all ahead of him.
Fernandez, however, has progressed at pace since leaving Argentina over the summer. Fernandez joined River Plate as a five-year-old and made his first-team debut under Marcelo Gallardo in 2020. He was loaned to Defensa y Justicia soon after and excelled for a side that counter-pressed aggressively in midfield and were proactive in possession. That style suited Fernandez, a ball hawk in midfield and an adventurous passer. Argentinian media began to sing his praises and he was recalled to River Plate by Marcelo Gallardo after winning the 2020 Copa Sudamericana with Defensa y Justicia under coach Hernan Crespo.
Fernandez was not part of Argentina’s Copa America-winning side. Instead, he watched the tournament from home and dreamed about playing with Lionel Messi. As the September FIFA window drew closer, Fernandez’s name remained top of mind in Argentina. He was acquired by Benfica for €10million (£8.6m; $10.5m) and was immediately thrust into Champions League football, holding his own, as he had at River Plate. He made five appearances during the group stage for a Benfica team that surprisingly topped Group H ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.
Riding that wave of momentum, Scaloni called up Fernandez for Argentina’s September friendlies against Honduras and Jamaica in the United States. He made his senior team debut during Argentina’s 3-0 over the Hondurans in Miami, replacing Paredes in the 64th minute. It took him just five minutes to make an impact. Fernandez pressed a Honduran central defender during their build-up and poked the ball away to a solitary Messi who deftly chipped Honduras’ goalkeeper from outside the penalty area.
It had been a dream debut for Fernandez, but his place in the final World Cup squad remained uncertain. After the match, a visibly excited Fernandez soaked up the moment of having represented his country at the senior international level and fulfilled his dream of playing with Messi.
Enzo Fernandez celebrates with Lionel Messi after scoring against Mexico in the World Cup (Photo: Claudio Villa via Getty Images)
“To play with Leo brings me enormous joy. It’s a dream come true,” Fernandez said. “I’ve been dreaming about the possibility of playing alongside him since last year. It’s all I’ve dreamed about. Today I was able to and I really enjoyed it.”
Asked if he believed that making Argentina’s World Cup squad was more than just a dream, Fernandez showed his confidence.
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“Obviously I have a chance to go to the World Cup,” he said. “The manager gave me an opportunity to show what I can give tonight. It’ll be up to him. I’m here to contribute what I can and do the best that I can to make the team.”
Scaloni never shuts the door on younger players like Fernandez and Thiago Almada. Fernandez has a skill set that is simply too difficult to ignore. He’s deceptively tall and nimble in possession. He tackles hard and can cover plenty of ground, which is ideal for an Argentina side who dominate possession and open themselves up to opposition counter-attacks. He’s comfortable breaking lines with his passing and almost always plays the ball forward as a deep-lying midfielder. However, Paredes entered the World Cup as the preferred starter in the role, with Fernandez Scaloni’s change-of-pace midfielder. That came to fruition in Argentina’s first two group-stage matches.
Fernandez replaced Paredes in the 59th minute after Saudi Arabia took a 2-1 lead over Argentina, one they wouldn’t relinquish. Fernandez kept the ball moving in the Saudi’s half and contributed four ball recoveries. In the next match, against Mexico, with Argentina facing elimination, Scaloni once again brought Fernandez off the bench in the second half. The young midfielder helped pin the Mexicans in their own defensive third.
In the 86th minute, he would have his World Cup moment. Following a short corner between Papu Gomez and Messi, Fernandez sprinted into the empty space at the corner of the Mexican box. Messi casually passed the ball to Fernandez, who only had one thought in mind.
A drop of the shoulder and a quick stepover froze Mexico’s Erick Gutierrez, giving Fernandez enough room to rifle a shot into the top corner and past Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Fernandez raced to the sideline to celebrate and Messi was the first to meet him there. Argentina’s No 10 jumped into the youngster’s arms.
🇦🇷 Shades of Thiago, Modric & Xavi
🇦🇷 High link-up play volume
🇦🇷 Destructive off-ball workEnzo Fernandez announced himself to the world with a brilliant strike against Mexico.@MarkCarey93 and @CaoimheSport explain why there’s so much fuss about him…
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) November 30, 2022
From that moment, Fernandez has been immovable from Argentina’s XI. He started the third group stage match against Poland and, once again, excelled as Argentina’s new midfield metronome. He had 99 total touches and completed 86 of 94 passes. Fernandez finished with 10 passes in the final third and two recoveries. He was not dispossessed on the night and did not commit a foul.
“Enzo has been spectacular. He’s been playing well and he has the confidence of all of us,” said Argentina right-back Nahuel Molina after Argentina’s 2-1 round of 16 win over Australia. “He shows it on the pitch. He gets on the ball without any fear and initiates play for us”
Against the Aussies, Fernandez sat deeper, much like a traditional stopper, and patrolled the middle of the field. Scaloni had identified the Australian’s ability to counter-attack as a concern, which meant less opportunities for Fernandez to venture forward. Nevertheless, he helped dictate play through his 114 touches over 90 minutes. Fernandez completed 92 of 100 passes against Australia and increased his passes into the final third by two, with 12.
“Enzo is a great player. He’s been showing that in every training session and in games,” said Argentina playmaker Alexis Mac Allister after the Australia match. “He can adapt and play in several positions within the midfield because he’s such a complete player. Tonight he played well again. What he does so well is passing the ball forward. All I have to do is find the right spaces so that when he passes forward, I’m ready to receive and attack or be in a position where I’m facing the goal. He’s a very important player and he’s showing it.”
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Scaloni has never repeated a starting XI since taking over in 2019. Yet, Fernandez is proving far too valuable to replace. Against the Netherlands in the highly anticipated quarter-final clash on Friday, Fernandez’s antagonistic presence in the middle and clean play on the ball could be the key to winning a very attractive midfield battle.
What is for sure is that he is making a name for himself at this World Cup. After Argentina defeated Poland in the group stages on November 30, Fernandez was making his way through that bustling stadium mixed zone.
A reporter stopped him and asked: “Could this be the World Cup of Enzo Perez?”
Enzo Perez is a 36-year-old midfielder for River Plate.
“I’m Enzo Fernandez,” replied the player as he walked away. An honest mistake to make, but probably not one the reporter will make again. Few will forget Fernandez after this World Cup.
(Top photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
Felipe Cardenas is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer in South America, North America and beyond. Follow Felipe on Twitter @FelipeCar