MESSI’S ARGENTINA EXPECTED TO ROLL OVER SAUDIS

DOHA: Lionel Messi’s Argentina have an easylooking start to the World Cup on Tuesday based on

blistering recent form and opponents Saudi Arabia’s history of drubbings in tournament openers.

The South Americans are on a 36-match unbeaten

run with top scorer and captain Messi playing his fifth and last World Cup in search of the elusive honour that would grant him immortality at home alongside Diego Maradona.

“I see him as always ... eager to enjoy the World Cup,” said head coach Lionel Scaloni, trying to ease some of the pressure on his main man. “He’s enjoying his team mates, training sessions, the stay and the whole process.”

Saudi Arabia are ranked 48 places lower

than Argentina, lost to Venezuela, Colombia and Croatia in a mixed bag of friendlies, and have a di*smal record at opening games including losing 5-0 to Russia in 2018 and 8-0 to Germany in 2002.

Yet they have pedigree too: this is their sixth World Cup, they reached the last 16 in 1994, and they made

it to Qatar by topping their group ahead of Japan.

“I saw a country full of young, talented players. We achieved our first target, let’s work together for the rest,” said coach Herve Renard.

Both teams will be noisily and massively supported when they kick off at 10:00 GMT for the first game in the Lusail

Stadium, the tournament’s largest venue which will also host the final.

Thousands of Saudis will flock over the border while Argentina’s traditionally large following will be swelled by a burgeoning fan base in Qatar and around the Middle East.

Scaloni was pained to lose “irreplaceable” midfielder Giovani Lo Celso to injury. But he still has an enviable range of talent, from the likes of Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez at the back to Leandro Paredes in the middle and the evergreen Angel Di Maria up front with Messi.

Renard’s far lesserknown team is entirely home-based, with the financial clout of the Saudi Pro League ensuring few leading players aspire to venture overseas.

Argentina will pay particular attention to their captain and veteran midfielder Salman Al Faraj, whose elegant play has helped Al Hilal dominate Asian club football in recent years.

Argentina will fully expect to beat Mexico and Poland in their other Group C games, whereas

the Saudis may have to accept damage limitation in their opening match before a more realistic quest for points in their next two.

— AFP Argentina’s forward Lionel Messi (3rd L) and midfielder Alejandro Gomez (2nd R) take part with teammates in a training session at the Qatar University Training Site in Doha, on the eve of the Qatar 2022 World Cup match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia.

— AFP Saudi Arabia’s midfielder Abdullah Otayf (C) and teammates take part in a training session at the Sealine Training Site in Sealine, south of Doha.

— AFP Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni attends a training session at the Qatar University Training Site in Doha.