Argentina set off on Messi’s quest
For years now, the world has waited for the Argentine genius to rise up to the very top. Will 2022 see him hold the trophy?
SHORT PASSES
NEW DELHI: For four successive World Cups, the world in general and Argentina, in particular, have waited to pronounce Lionel Messi as the true heir to Diego Maradona’s throne. And despite Messi’s wizardry with the ball, his clutch of goals and assists for club and country, his seven Ballon d’or crowns and most other trophies in his cabinet, the world has stopped just short of bestowing upon him the “greatest ever” tag.
Maradona single-handedly took Argentina to the biggest prize in football — the World Cup trophy in 1986. Messi is yet to achieve that feat.
Winning the Copa America last year has lifted a weight of international failure off Messi’s shoulders and there is a feeling he will have his best World Cup in Qatar. And now, more than ever — as Messi at 35 quietly plies his trade at PSG away from the spotlight of Barcelona, his speed, sharpness and agility to some extent diminished, and is unlikely to turn up for the 2026 World Cup — it seems that the beautiful game owes its fading master a World Cup crown.
There are reasons to believe that and they are not merely emotional.
Favourites tag
After a really long time, Argentina are going into a World Cup bereft of controversy. Their build-up has been near perfect. They are on a 35-match unbeaten run which is just two matches shy of what Italy achieved under Roberto Mancini between 2018 and 2021.
They have an outstanding goalkeeper in Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez and a leader in their defence in 24-year-old Cristian Romero of Spurs after the defensive mainstay of the 2018 World Cup side Javier Mascherano and Marcos Rojo were
Top scorer in squad dropped as was striker Gonzalo Higuain. Argentina found his replacement in Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez. And of course, the leader of the pack, Messi finally seems comfortable and happy in the midst of the mix of youth and experience in the Argentine squad.
EA Sports, among its innumerable wrong predictions in the group stage and knockout matches, has predicted every World Cup winner since 2010 using FIFA simulations — Spain, Germany and France. This time using FIFA 23, it has predicted Argentina to lift the trophy next month. And bookies have placed Argentina (13/2)
Most caps in squad
Champions
Runners-up
Semi-final
Quarters
Last 16
In World Cups (since 1986)
Group stage
Key player
Among the greatest footballers ever, Messi's overflowing trophy cabinet still has room for one silverware - the World Cup. Messi came agonisingly close to the top prize in 2014 when Argentina were denied by an injury time strike by Mario Gotze in the final against Germany. Eight years since that fateful night at Maracana, he remains Argentina's biggest draw and hope third behind perpetual favourites Brazil (4/1) and defending champions France (6/1).
Two non-european teams among the top three favourites may seem to be an anomaly but consider this: seven of the last eight World Cup finalists have been from Europe and 13 of the last 16 semi-finalists too.
But the world’s hopes on Argentina are based on the manner in which the Albiceleste have turned things around. After the two-time World Cup champions (1978 and 1986) bowed out of the 2018 edition losing to France in the pre-quarter-finals, the Argentina national team experienced a sea change.
[LIONEL MESSI]
Build-up to the Cup
Coach Jorge Sampaoli’s reign was cut short. Lionel Scaloni, who had been an assistant to Sampaoli, took over on an interim basis together with Pablo Aimar, his teammate in his playing days. Slowly but surely and not without criti- cism, Scaloni with his former teammates Aimar, Roberto Ayala and Walter Samuel in the coaching staff, changed the narrative and fortunes of the team.
The 2021 Copa America title ended Argentina’s 28-year-wait to become champions of South America.
And the final win over Brazil at the iconic Maracana Stadium was the icing on the cake. The 3-0 win over European Championship winners Italy in the intercontinental cup at the Wembley Stadium in June was Messi’s second trophy with the national team and the Lionels seemed to have bonded.