Don’t think it’s Messi’s last World Cup: Coach
SEEKING GLORY Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli downplays pressure on Barcelona superstar, names starting lineup for Saturday’s clash against debutants Iceland
Copa America final to Chile had even prompted the maestro to hang up his boots before making a comeback. Also, with him on the wrong side of 30, it might well be his last World Cup as well. Messi finished as the highest goal-scorer in the La Liga. He also had 12 assists to his name, thus being directly involved in 44 of the 99 goals the Catalans scored during their run to the title. not feel the emotion for the striped shirt.
been booed and jeered for his on-field failures and the striker would want to turn things around in the World Cup. managed to score more than two.
Argentina had managed to pick up just seven points from eight games while that number went up to 21 from 10 ties once Messi started. have too many well-known names at the back and a lot will depend on Nicholas Otamendi who will hope to continue his club form into the World Cup. tions again: I’m still a dentist and I will never stop being a dentist,” he began. “You can’t but love Iceland. We haven’t attacked anyone. We haven’t been at war with anyone. We’ve only had the cod wars with England but no one got hurt there,” he quipped, referring to the marine disputes between Iceland and UK over fishing rights in the North Atlantic.
Terming Saturday’s clash as ‘the biggest game in history of Icelandic football’, he said: “We play a different style of football but we have shown that if you have play as a unit, anything is possible. If someone is surprised, then they Won Matches
don’t know much about Iceland.”
With Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson spearheading the side’s campaign, Iceland are a side without many star names. However, after an impressive Euro 2016 campaign and having won their World Cup qualifying group, they will be quietly confident going Quarterfinal Quarterfinal Runners-up DRAW Loss
into this campaign.
Against Argentina, Iceland will need a special performance to pull off a result.
Hallgrimsson, however, clarified that no single player from his team would be marking Messi. It would be unfair on the defender, he said.
winners in 1978 and 1986, have qualified for 11 consecutive editions from 1974. Iceland are competing in their first ever World Cup finals.
won since January, a run of four games without victory.
19 goals in the South American qualifiers, the lowest by a qualifying team. Source: ladbrokes.com