MIAMI. Giuliano Simeone has realised a promise he made to himself during the darkest days of his injury layoff, the Argentina defender revealing a 2023 text message in which he vowed to feature at this World Cup despite suffering a fractured fibula and severe ankle ligament damage .
The 22 year old Atlético Madrid defender, who made his tournament debut in Argentina’s final group stage victory over Jordan, shared the prophetic message on Instagram from a group chat dated August 6, 2023. “I will tell you one thing,” Simeone wrote. “I will play the next World Cup.”
At the time of that declaration, Simeone was on loan at Alavés and had just sustained the injury during a preseason friendly against Burgos CF. The setback required surgery and a five month rehabilitation period, with the young defender facing an uncertain future at a club where he had yet to establish himself .
“I hadn’t even represented Argentina at youth level,” Simeone said in June, reflecting on his journey ahead of the tournament. “When I suffered a serious injury at Alaves, the first thought that went through my head after the initial shock had passed was about reaching the World Cup. I set myself that target. I improved every day with each training session, gave it everything I had and the hard work paid off.”
Father’s influence and rapid rise
The son of Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone, the defender has been part of his father’s first team squad for the past two seasons, making 14 appearances for Argentina since his recovery . His selection by Lionel Scaloni for the World Cup squad represented the culmination of a remarkable journey from the treatment table to the global stage.
Simeone started against Jordan in Argentina’s 3-1 victory, playing 71 minutes before being replaced by Valentín Barco. The performance capped a rise that even he could scarcely have imagined when he set his sights on the tournament two years ago .
“To debut in a World Cup is something incredible,” Simeone said after the match. “I dreamed about it since I was little. Everything happened so fast since the injury I had in 2023. I had a bad time, but approached it with a lot of effort. And with sacrifice I was able to push through.”
The full back’s inclusion in Scaloni’s starting lineup was one of 10 changes made by the Argentina coach for the final group fixture, with qualification already secured . The decision to rest key players has ensured Scaloni’s squad is fresh for the knockout phase, with Simeone among those who have taken their opportunity to impress .
Argentina look to Cape Verde test
Argentina advanced as winners of Group J after victories over Algeria, Austria and Jordan, conceding only once across the three matches . Their Round of 32 opponents, Cape Verde, finished second in Group H behind the Netherlands and represent the first knockout hurdle for the defending champions .
Simeone is expected to be among the substitutes for Friday’s clash in Miami, though his debut has already secured the fulfilment of a promise that once seemed improbable. For a player who was forced to watch from the sidelines during the early stages of his career, the World Cup stage now offers the platform to continue a story that began with a text message and a belief that defied the prognosis .
