A former teammate of Lionel Messi on Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2022–winning squad is set to return to soccer after serving a lengthy suspension for doping.
On December 18, 2022, Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout to capture the FIFA World Cup title. Lionel Messi was the inspirational leader of that historic team, but one of his fellow champions later faced a major setback after being handed a doping ban, which has now officially come to an end.
Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez appeared in two matches during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup campaign. He started in the group stage opener against Saudi Arabia — a shocking 2–1 defeat — and again in the round of 16 against Australia, a 2–1 win for the South Americans.
That match turned out to be Gomez’s last appearance for Argentina. He didn’t feature in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or final, and was surprisingly left out of head coach Lionel Scaloni’s call-ups for the celebratory friendlies played in Argentina in March 2023.
Speculation about his absence took an unexpected turn in mid-2023, when Gomez was found guilty of using a banned substance in 2022, during his time with Sevilla. The Argentine midfielder received a two-year suspension and managed to play just two matches for Monza in Serie A before the ban took effect.
The return of Papu Gomez
On October 20, the two-year suspension for Alejandro Gomez officially expired, allowing him to return to professional soccer. Now 37 years old, he is far removed from the elite level that saw him shine at the World Cup and play key roles for top clubs in La Liga and Serie A.
His comeback, however, will take place at a more modest European club: Calcio Padova. The Italian side competes in Serie B, Italy’s second division, and currently sit 11th in the standings with three wins, two draws, and three losses through eight matches.
Calcio Padova played their last game on Sunday, October 19 — the final day of Gomez’s suspension. Their next match will be Sunday, October 26, at home against Juve Stabia, and Papu Gomez is expected to be part of the squad. His debut is likely to generate major excitement for the club, given the rare presence of a reigning World Cup champion in Serie B.
Papu Gomez’s record with Argentina
Few players in history can match the honors Alejandro Gomez achieved with Argentina. He is a two-time world champion, a Copa America winner, and a Finalissima champion. His first title came at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, where he played alongside future stars like Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero, and Ever Banega.
However, it would take many years for Gomez to earn a place with the senior national team. As a creative midfielder or winger, he faced fierce competition for playing time, often overshadowed by superstars like Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria.
Gomez made his senior debut for Argentina in 2017 at the age of 29 but only became a regular under Lionel Scaloni starting in 2020. From that point forward, he was heavily involved in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup and secured his roster spot after Giovani Lo Celso was ruled out due to injury.
In total, Gomez made 17 appearances for Argentina between 2017 and 2022, scoring three goals and providing four assists. He won the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima against Italy, and, of course, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
