World Cup 2018 team previews: Argentina

FIFA Ranking: five

World Cup history
– Despite winning 2 World Cups, Argentina hasn’t had the globe Cup success that a number of the opposite soccer superpowers have had. Up till the last WC edition in Brazil, it couldn’t realize the direction against its European rivals and struggled to urge past the quarter-finals. If it weren’t for Messi, Argentina wouldn’t have reached the ultimate in 2014 either. In 1978, junction rectifier by Golden Boot winner Mario Kempes, Argentina defeated Kingdom of The Netherlands for its initial ever tournament title. Then, eight years later, Diego Maradona and his teammates conqered the globe another time once a 3-2 win against European country. Maradona didn’t score within the final, however was awarded the Golden Ball because the tournament’s best player. save for 1978, 1986 and 2014, Los Gauchos haven’t created it past the quarter-finals in the other tournament.

How they qualified?
– you'd assume that a star-filled team junction rectifier by Lionel Messi wouldn’t have any issues qualifying for a tournament, however Argentina barely created it. La Albiceleste required a wonderful hat-trick show by Messi within the last spherical at South American nation to leap to 3rd place associate degreed secure an automatic berth. Head coach Edgardo Bauza was pillaged within the middle of the qualification cycle owing to his team’s poor displays and former Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli was assigned with the task to urge Argentina to the Russia, that he fortunately managed to try to to.

Full 23-man squad:

Goalkeepers:
Sergio Romero (Manchester United)
Wilfredo Caballero (Chelsea)
Franco Armani (River Plate)

Defenders:
Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla)
Cristian Ansaldi (Torino)
Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City)
Federico Fazio (Roma)
Marcos Rojo (Manchester United)
Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax)
Marcos Acuna (Sporting Lisbon)

Midfielders:
Javier Mascherano (Hebei China Fortune)
Eduardo Salvio (Benfica)
Lucas Biglia (AC Milan)
Giovani Lo Celso (Paris Saint-Germain)
Ever Banega (Sevilla)
Manuel Lanzini (West Ham)
Maximiliano Meza (Independiente)
Angel di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain)
Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors)

Forwards:
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus)
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Coach: Jorge Sampaoli

This Argentina squad can’t realize peace. The laborious qualification method wasn’t enough, the employment modification wasn’t enough and therefore the pressure that’s been placed on Messi isn't enough. Their last friendly match before the globe Cup against Israel was off thanks to death threats towards the players and these days, Manuel Lanzini gets hurt. the sole heart technician Argentina has, a player United Nations agency was showing nice promise within the preparation amount, blew out his knee in observe and can miss the trip to Russia. It’s devastating news for Sampaoli and for fans all around. the sole worse news would’ve been if Messi got disabled.

Lanzini’s absence puts more pressure on La Pulga to not solely be Argentina’s captain, leader and goalscorer, however conjointly its goal creator. we have a tendency to all grasp that The Albiceleste have a tremendous offensive cluster. the matter doesn’t lie there. It’s the center and back of the formation that square measure cause for concern. Banega, Biglia, Lo Celso and Mascherano square measure nice holding midfielders, however Lanzini was the sole forward thinking one. In 2014, Messi somehow carried his team to the ultimate. this point around, destiny appears to be turning its back on the miscroscopic development. soccer could be a team game in any case.
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Argentina’s Group D fixtures:
Argentina – Iceland (16 June), Otkritie Arena
Argentina – Croatia (21 June), Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Argentina – Nigeria (26 June), Krestovsky Stadium

Star player:
Lionel Messi

Player to watch:
Supposed to be Manuel Lanzini