ARGENTINA CHASE THE BIG DREAM
Lionel Messi's Argentina have an easy-looking 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 teammates, 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 dismal 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.
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. — reuters