The pain in Spain is mainly on the game
believes Argentina’s progress has been impeded by the absence of ‘‘the more cerebral players’’ they frequently used to produce, playmakers such as Pablo Aimar, Juan Roman Riquelme, Juan Sebastian Veron and Ariel Ortega, that could be to Messi what Andres Iniesta has long been at Barcelona.
Maradona’s shadow looms large for Messi, but the Argentina side that triumphed in 1986 had a much better blend and balance than the current crop. Messi cannot go it alone, Some people in Spain agree that national team coach Julen Lopetegui had to go. Others believe the chaos on the eve of the World Cup just made a bad situation worse.
Lopetegui was fired this week, two days before Spain’s opening match against Portugal, because he had accepted a job to coach Real Madrid next season.
‘‘It is clear to me that this was poorly handled and that the national team will be harmed by it,’’ Spain fan Jordi Casares said. ‘‘Madrid put its interests first, as did Lopetegui, and [Spanish federation president Luis] Rubiales was left in a very tough spot. Nobody thought about what was best for the national team.’’
Television and radio commentator Manolo Lama, summing up the state of bewilderment caused by the decision, said the team’s success will rely solely on the players.
‘‘Our World Cup is in the hands of [Sergio] Ramos, [Andres] Iniesta, [David] Silva,
but the burden on him is colossal. And yet his relationship with his country remains complex.
The near misses have piqued national frustration and Messi, naturally, is the most obvious target for that.
Some have struggled to identify with the player who left for Spain at 13. His relationship with Argentine society was once described as that of a long-lost son reconnected in adulthood with parents who must slowly learn how to relate to their boy again.
At times, the criticism has bordered on the gratuitous, not least over his reluctance to sing the national anthem. Such is the hysteria that Messi’s biographer, Sebastian Fest, said it had got to the stage where ‘‘it almost amuses him not to sing it’’.
What is irrefutable is the Diego Costa and company,’’ Lama wrote on Twitter. ‘‘Only they can put out this fire.’’
However, former Spain great Xavi Hernandez said the federation did the right thing.
‘‘I think Rubiales acted correctly and was looking out for the federation, which should be above any single individual,’’ Hernandez told sports daily Marca. ‘‘It wasn’t an easy situation but I think he did the right thing. The players have seen things like this before and I am sure they are going to have a good World Cup.’’
Spain left for the World Cup in Russia free of distractions and with high hopes of competing for the title they won in 2010.
But Madrid’s announcement that Lopetegui would replace Zinedine Zidane at Real caused controversy around the national team. Rubiales then announced his decision to part ways with Lopetgui, saying the federation was ‘‘ compelled to act’’ because of the betrayal.
AP
adoration with which he is held among the squad. A ‘‘win it for Messi’’ attitude has taken root and that close bond could yet carry Argentina far even if, for all their self-induced problems, they have not been blessed with luck.
Injury robbed them of firstchoice goalkeeper, Manchester United’s Sergio Romero. There was another setback when West Ham striker Manuel Lanzini was ruled out after rupturing a cruciate knee ligament.
They have also been placed in arguably the toughest group, with games against Croatia and Nigeria, who beat them 4-2 in a friendly last November, following Iceland.
If Argentina are to prevail, Messi must flourish, but the pressure on him is unremitting. ‘‘Messi has a revolver put to his head called the World Cup and if he doesn’t win it, he’s shot and killed,’’ Sampaoli said.
‘‘Messi has a revolver put to his head called the World Cup and if he doesn’t win it, he’s shot and killed.’’
Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli