Like the Garnacho case, backwards: the promise of Barcelona that can represent Argentina, but will play the Sub-20 World Cup for Japan

Alejandro Garnacho represented the best-known and transcendental case of the “europibes” that the AFA closely follows so that young talents scattered throughout the world do not slip away, but mainly in Europe. Other important names are those of Luka Romero, Matías Soulé, the Carboni brothers and Nicolás Paz, also evaluated by the national team management. But there is a jewel that plays in Barcelona that can escape its orbit: the Spanish naturalized Japanese Niko Takahashi Cendagorta.

This left-back, barely 17 years old, with an Argentine father and a Japanese mother, lived in Spain all his life and works in the Blaugrana youth academy. Two years ago, an emissary from the Argentine team asked him if he would be interested in joining the ranks of the Albicelestes after playing a game with Cadet A from Barcelona. The Albicelestewho has set up a scouting center in Europe with a direct connection to Bernardo Romeo (national team coordinator) and Lionel Scaloni, followed suit but did not contact him again.

The last talk was long months ago, when they asked their representative for some videos. His appointment by Argentina did not prosper and in Japan they did not miss the chance: they called him to play the Maurice Revello Tournament (formerly Esperanzas de Toulón) and he has just finished his participation in the Asian Under 20 Championship, qualifying for the World Cup in the category . The Japanese were knocked out by Iraq in the semi-finals, but they sealed their ticket to the World Cup.

Paradoxically, the Under 20 teams of Argentina and Japan crossed paths on June 10, 2022 after having finished as the second worst in their respective zones (Mexico was the one that qualified for the semis) and competed for fifth place, which was left in the hands of of the South American painting. In that 3-2 the great figure was Garnacho, author of the first goal of the match. Takahashi entered the field at minute 58 instead of Kodai Sano with the particularity that he was the youngest footballer in that match and one of the two 2005 category (the other was the Italian nationalized Argentine Valentín Carboni). In fact both Takahashi as Carboni were chosen by the British media The Guardian as two of the best 60 world soccer projects born in that year.

In the Asian Championship he was present in four of the five games that Japan played, including the elimination in extra time in the semifinals. “He is a boy and he is in a great moment, I am not going to venture to say where he is going to play. Argentina is very big, but he will have to decide it “his father had told infobae as an annex to the first interview that Niko gave.

It is worth mentioning that in Spain he is also under consideration and was even about to be called up for an Under 16 championship that was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I would like to play with all three teams. Try and look around a bit. I already tried the Spanish one. I would like to do it with the others to choose where I feel more comfortable. I don’t want to always be changing either, but I would like to try and, where I think I’m better, stay. Since I am lucky to have triple nationality, I want to take advantage of it”, he declared to this medium at the time.

On his Instagram account, the Catalan who has already signed a contract with a leading sports clothing company has almost 11,000 followers. As his case gained some notoriety in Argentina, fans of the albiceleste crowd fill his wall with comments on each post that Niko makes while playing for Japan: “Get up on La Scaloneta, kid, you’re going to know how much the World Cup weighs, I assure you ”, “And if Scaloni calls you?”, “Niko I came to play for Argentina”, “Go play with Messi at La Scaloneta, dear Niko!” and “Big Taka! In case you regret it, you will always have Argentina! Successes” are some of the messages sent.

What has to happen for Takahashi Cendagorta to be a definitive Japan player? Dispute more than three class A international matches with the senior national team (official competitions and FIFA friendlies). Until now, both Argentina and Spain are still in the race regarding the eligibility of the left forward marker, although that situation could change in the medium term. Niko plays for Barcelona’s Under 17s, where he signed a contract two years ago, and is highly regarded by the authorities of the Japanese federation.

The current complication for Argentina thinking about a presumed call-up in the short and medium term is that, after the elimination of the South American Sub 20, that category was left with practically no chance to compete. And since Niko will turn 18 next August, there would not be a chance to consider him for the Sub 17 either. In the coming days, Romeo and Lionel Scaloni will define the coach who will lead the Sub 23 team that will compete in the Pre-Olympic on the way to Paris 2024. but with footballers with more experience and several years older, it is illogical to think of a call for the talented left-hander from La Masía. At least for now, Takahashi Cendagorta will continue to wear the white flag with the red circle on his chest.

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