It was noticeable from the opening game. People were talking about Argentina. Talking about their national anthem. How the players were; the sense of power; the depth of feeling; the togetherness. And so it proved. After defeats of France and Ireland, Argentina are being spoken of as potential World Cup winners.
This is a group of players who have clearly built something between them. One observer pronounced that ‘they had God on their side’. In team building status, they appear to have attained the highest level. The level of brothers.
It is the point of team development where each player is playing for a cause greater than themselves. Whether it’s for the person next to them, their families and their country. Or probably a combination of all of them. They are devoted to a powerful cause. The cause lifts them beyond ordinary levels. The cause draws more energy from them. The cause inspires them. The cause is something that they can agree to, with every cell in their body.
Each player knows exactly what is expected of him and the part they have to play in the team success. The level of camaraderie is such, that each player wants the others to succeed. Together they have created a force much much greater than the sum of the parts. It is a formidable presence. This collective presence is the equivalent of having an extra player out on the pitch.
It may turn out that Argentina do not win the World Cup. But, by the quality of their teamship, they have created a lasting impression.