The head coach of the Argentine national team, Lionel Scaloni, has announced the squad for the friendly match against Guatemala. The big surprise was the call-up for defender Tomás Palacios from Estudiantes de La Plata. At just 22 years old and nearly two meters tall, Palacios joined 'Pincha' on loan from Inter Milan and quickly earned a starting spot with the current Argentine football champions. Hailing from General Pico, La Pampa, Palacios is a tall defender who is very comfortable with the ball at his feet. According to sources who spoke to the Argentine News Agency, he quickly proved he has class and 'never left the team; he even relegated Santiago Núñez to the bench when he was one of the captains.' Palacios debuted in the Argentine Primera División in 2022 with Talleres de Córdoba before moving to Independiente Rivadavia de Mendoza. However, he quickly caught the attention of Inter Milan's scouts, who eventually bought him. At Inter, he couldn't get much playing time, so he went on loan to Monza, but he finally flourished at Estudiantes, where he is a key player for coach 'Cacique' Medina. Palacios's quality on the ball is explained by the fact that during his childhood and in lower categories, he played as an attacking midfielder (enganche), but he was later moved to left-back, and when he had a growth spurt, he was adjusted to a central defender. Despite being on loan with a purchase option for six million dollars, Estudiantes does not mind buying the central defender, as they believe they can resell him for an even greater amount.
