Claudio Tapia posted a photo on June 16, 2026, showing himself with Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul as Argentina prepared to face Algeria in its opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
The image, shared on Tapia’s official accounts hours before Tuesday’s Group J kickoff at 22:00, revived a ritual that has become part of the team’s identity under coach Lionel Scaloni: the pre-match mate. Tapia captioned one post “Más juntos que nunca.” and another, more expansive post with emojis, read “TODOS JUNTOS 🧉🇦🇷Por mi bandera la vida yo doy 🎶🤞🏻.”
That short exchange of images and words carried weight because the mate ritual has been tied to Argentina’s recent successes. Tapia, now in his third World Cup as AFA president since taking office in March 2017, and the group around Messi have used those quiet moments together during a cycle that produced continental trophies and the 2022 World Cup.
The timing sharpened the moment: the 2026 tournament is staged across Canada, the United States and Mexico, and Argentina’s opener in Group J comes with attention on every pre-match sign. Tapia’s post landed as supporters dissected the lineup and the mood in camp, and names beyond the three in the photo — among them leandro paredes in online conversation — circulated as part of the wider pre-match buzz.
Still, the ritual carries friction. Presented as a good-luck tradition, it sits against a clear pattern: Argentina failed to win its opening match in Tapia’s previous two World Cups, drawing 1-1 with Iceland in Russia 2018 and losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in Qatar 2022. The mate moments have been part of the fabric of the squad’s cohesion, but they have not reliably translated into a winning start at the world finals under Tapia’s presidency.
Practical detail for followers: Argentina’s match against Algeria was scheduled for Tuesday at 22:00, the team’s first Group J fixture at the 2026 World Cup. Tapia’s social media posts make the pre-match scene visible; beyond that, the posts do not document whether the meeting continued up to kickoff or whether the ritual was repeated inside the stadium.
What to watch when the match begins is straightforward. First, whether the camaraderie captured in Tapia’s posts shows in Argentina’s tempo and cohesion during the opening 20 minutes; second, whether the selection around Messi and midfield options produces control in midfield; and third, whether the pre-match routine coincides with a different result this time for Tapia’s teams at World Cup openers.
The unresolved, sharp question is immediate: will the revived mate ritual that Tapia posted hours before kickoff break the pattern of opening-match disappointment in his World Cups? The answer will arrive on the field Tuesday night, when the image shared on June 16 is either an emblem of a settled, winning start or a photo that simply preceded yet another opening-match stumble.
