Are big beasts fit and firing?
Brazil, France, Argentina and Spain are England’s main World Cup rivals, so here’s how the teams standing between Southgate’s men and Qatar glory are shaping up
THE idea that Lionel Messi has one last great tournament in him is what is fuelling Argentina’s belief that they can win the World Cup in Qatar.
His blistering start to the season with six goals and eight assists in his first 11 games is not just a huge improvement on his underwhelming first season in France, it is also an illustration of how his priority these days is to time his form and fitness to be in top shape for this tournament. There is also the feeling in Argentina that while this isn’t Messi in his prime he will benefit from a functioning team and a happy camp — something that has not always been the case in previous editions. Coach Lionel Scaloni has surrounded himself with loyal and capable assistants. Pablo Aimar, Walter Samuel and Roberto Ayala have 224 caps between them and if the defensive steel that the latter two always demonstrated as players can transfer itself to the current group, then with Messi’s magic at the other end of the pitch they have a chance. Scaloni’s task is to create an ecosystem around Messi that asks as little as possible of him defensively and gives him maximum freedom in attack, without debilitating the team because of it. Messi’s final days at Barcelona were marked by criticism that without the ball the team were playing with 10 men, a luxury they couldn’t afford. Scaloni close to Messi and attacking full back Marcos Acuna can offer width on the overlap. The back four has a familiar look to it. Former Manchester City centre back Nicolas Otamendi, now 34 and plying his trade at Benfica, is still first choice to hold things together alongside Tottenham’s Cristian Romero. Acuna is on the left and Atletico Madrid’s right back Nahuel Molina completes a defence that has Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez behind it. Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister has impressed Scaloni and will feature prominently off the bench. Argentina’s opener against Saudi Arabia at the Lusail Stadium on November 22 appears to be a sell-out and demand for their second group game against Mexico four days later has been greater than for any game in the group phase. They will have a huge following in Qatar. Scaloni’s side play their final Group C match against Poland in Doha on November 30.
Their last tournament outing ended in them lifting the Copa America last year without playing their best football. The same formula will do again if it gives them their third World Cup and Messi’s first, at what will be his fifth and surely final attempt.
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ARGENTINA are unbeaten in their last 35 matches, a run stretching back to July 2019. Last year, they won their first Copa America title since 1993.