MESSI’S BIG TEST STARTS TODAY

All eyes will be on Lionel Messi as he leads Argentina's charge in their opening game today. With this likely to be his last chance to clinch a World Cup, the pressure will be on the champion player to emulate Diego Maradona's 1986 feats.

LAST SHOT AT GLORY

It has only gone from bad to worse in terms of international glory for Lionel Messi since Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany.

Two consecutive defeats in the 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.

TREMENDOUS FORM

Although Barcelona were dumped out of the UEFA Champions League in a forgettable manner, the reason they still managed a domestic double was because of the stellar form of Lionel Messi. With 32 goals in 36 matches,

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.

WIN OVER FANS

Messi might be a footballing great but he’s yet to achieve the cult status enjoyed by Maradona in Argentina. That’s because some fans look at him as a disconnected outsider who does not feel the emotion for the striped shirt.

Messi has on occasions been booed and jeered for his on-field failures and the striker would want to turn things around in the World Cup.

ONE-MAN ARMY

While Argentina managed to score just 19 goals in 18 games in the qualifiers, Messi still was the highest contributor scoring more than one-third goals (7) for his side. In fact, no other Argentine managed to score more than two. Also, without Messi, 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.

BACKUPS NEED TO FIRE

While there’s ample artillery that the team can fall back on, it remains to be seen whether the likes of Angel Di Maria, Paulo Dybala and Sergio Aguero rise to the occasion and support Messi. Argentina, however, don’t 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.

THEY SAY

“Messi has a revolver put to his head called the World Cup, and if he doesn't win it, he's shot and killed.”

JORGE SAMPAOLI,

Argentina manager “I’ve cried many times for lost finals. But now I’m dreaming again of being in a World Cup final, of lifting the cup.”

LIONEL MESSI