The decision was not easy, but it was made: Enzo Pérez was called up by Jorge Sampaoli to play in the 2018 World Cup as a replacement for the injured Mauro Lanzini, giving him the chance to be in his second FIFA tournament, after being runner-up in Brazil 2014. But how does the new call-up of the Argentine National Team arrive at this call-up?
The 32-year-old midfielder, a typical defensive player who brings balance to River Plate under Marcelo Gallardo, is the opposite of all the players called up by Argentina. Enzo Pérez arrives at this summoning in the middle of a vacation that caught him in the middle of physical recovery training.
Enzo Pérez has started preparing for a new season five days ago. With the help of the physical trainer of Estudiantes de La Plata and following the advice of the technical staff of River Plate, the latest call-up of Argentina knows that he is at a disadvantage. However, his experience can be vital to earn a place.
Regarding the season, Enzo Pérez played in 19 out of the 27 matches that River Plate played in 2018, including local tournaments, the local cup, the Libertadores cup, and friendly matches. He accumulated more than 1300 minutes of play and started in every match he played.
Enzo Pérez's numbers in 2018
| DATE | TOURNAMENT | HOME | VS. | AWAY | MINS |
| 24-05-18 | Libertadores | River Plate | 0-0 | Flamengo | 90 |
| 15-05-18 | Super League | River Plate | 2-0 | San Lorenzo | 90 |
| 04-05-18 | Libertadores | Santa Fe | 0-1 | River Plate | 75 |
| 11-05-18 | Super League | River Plate | 2-0 | Estudiantes | 66 |
| 27-04-18 | Libertadores | River Plate | 2-1 | Emelec | 90 |
| 20-04-18 | Libertadores | Emelec | 0-1 | River Plate | 90 |
| 15-04-18 | Super League | River Plate | 2-0 | Rosario Central | 90 |
| 06-04-18 | Libertadores | River Plate | 0-0 | Santa Fe | 83 |
| 01-04-18 | Super League | Defensa y Justicia | 1-3 | River Plate | 90 |
| 19-03-18 | Super League | River Plate | 3-1 | Belgrano | 63 |
| 15-03-18 | Super Cup | Boca Juniors | 0-2 | River Plate | 65 |
| 11-03-18 | Super League | Patronato | 0-1 | River Plate | 62 |
| 01-03-18 | Libertadores | Flamengo | 2-2 | River Plate | 78 |
| 24-02-18 | Super League | Vélez Sarsfield | 1-0 | River Plate | 90 |
| 12-02-18 | Super League | Lanús | 1-0 | River Plate | 46 |
| 04-02-18 | Super League | River Plate | 2-0 | Olimpo | 90 |
| 29-01-18 | Super League | Huracán | 1-0 | River Plate | 79 |
| 22-01-18 | Summer Tournament | Boca Juniors | 0-1 | River Plate | 54 |
As for his experience with Jorge Sampaoli, Enzo Pérez played the last two matches of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup against Peru and Ecuador. Against Peru, he played a few minutes as a replacement for the injured Fernando Gago, and against Ecuador, he was a starter and played the full 90 minutes. A big challenge awaits him: getting fit and earning a place in the team.