The Football World Cup is starting from November 21. As usual, Argentina is on the list of favorites for this World Cup 2022 to be held in Qatar.
Almost everyone is sure, that this is the last time Lionel Messi will play on the stage of the World Cup. Lionel Messi, who has never won the World Cup, will be able to open the door? Argentina fans, who won the Copa America last year and lost the title to the 28-year-old, are hopeful that the World Cup drought will end this time. What are some of the reasons that make the supporters so optimistic? Let’s see!
1. Reliance on Lionel Messi
It is crazy to explain the importance of having Lionel Messi in the team in 2022. There is nothing new to say about how great an asset Lionel Messi is for the team if he is in form. This is the biggest question a year ago, whether Messi has done exactly what he has done for the club in the last decade and a half, or for the national team. Winning the Copa America last year also put an end to that question for skeptics. The rest is just the World Cup.
Lionel Messi’s eagerness to win the World Cup can be seen in the way he plays. Earlier, he was in charge of the attack on the national team jersey, but he did not want to press that way. Now, if necessary, Lionel Messi can be seen pressing the opponent in the middle. Fortunately for Lionel Messi, as in the past, other Argentine players would have forgotten about team chemistry whenever they saw the ball at Lionel Messi’s feet, but that is no longer the case.
When you see Lionel Messi coming down, there is the presence of Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Gonzalez, and Alejandro Gomez in the opponent’s box. As a result, if Lionel Messi goes down, Argentina will not have to worry about who will be there to score goals. Which has made Lionel Messi more dependent on the Argentine jersey than ever before. And if Lionel Messi is relied on, the drought of international titles can be overcome, as Argentina has proved by winning the Copa America and La Finalisima.
2. A sense of party brotherhood
When players go to practice camp to play a match for Argentina, keep a close eye on their activities on social media. The group photos posted by Rodrigo Di Paul, Leandro Pardes, Paolo DiBalla, Anhel Di Maria, Cristian Romero, and Emiliano Martinez seem to sing the praises of party brotherhood.
Proving that the players of the team are not at least isolated from each other, their relationship is strong. And a strong relationship between the players is the key to the success of any team, who does not know!
Everyone has accepted Lionel Messi as the sole leader of the team with a smile. Everyone in the team is eager to do something for Messi. Everyone’s personal relationship with Messi is at another level, with these new teammates, it is clear that Messi himself is enjoying the game in the national team more than ever.
3. Defense
Under Diego Maradona, the 2010 World Cup saw Argentina dive into the match. No one played as a fullback. Legendary right-back Javier Janetti has not been picked, left-winger Honas Gutierrez has been played as a right-back, and center-backs like Nicolas Burdiso, Nicolas Otamendi or Clement Rodriguez have played as fullbacks. In 2014, Alejandro Sabeya conducted regular experiments with the XI table, even though there was not much matching.
Argentina started the tournament at 3-5-2 and then went on to play 4-3-3, taking refuge in the quarter-finals against Belgium 4-4-2. The 2018 World Cup also reminded me of the 2010 World Cup in terms of defense. Coach Jorge Sampaoli was skeptical about who would play as a fullback, whether Argentina would play with 3 defenders or 4 defenders.
But he has no problem in this Argentina. Christian Romero next to Nicolas Otamendi. The rightback is Nahuel Molina, not Gonzalo Montiel. Left-back Marcos Acuna and Nicolas Tagliafico, either. Players like Lisandro Martinez, Juan Foyth, and German Pezzella are not yet part of the original XI, but whenever they get a chance, they identify themselves.
The bottom line is that there is no shortage of effective players in the Argentine defense. Argentina is playing regularly in the six-man defense. And coach Lionel Scaloni knows very well when and how to use these players. Despite the pressure of the opponent, the mutual understanding is good, so Argentina is able to provide one-on-one ball from the defense.
4. Lionel Scaloni
Argentina have begun to rely on new coach Lionel Scaloni. From the beginning, he has got the opportunity to form a squad of his choice by swapping multiple players. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of everyone in this group like the palm of his hand.
The coach is making maximum use of the 4-3-3 table, not experimenting too much, and playing result-oriented football, which is playing a positive role at the end of the day. That is to say, the 32 consecutive matches were unbeaten after losing in the 2019 Copa America semis. Scaloni has taught Messi team pressure in an effective way, which can be understood by watching Argentina play.
5. Emiliano Martinez
Argentina’s cry for the goalkeeper is not today. Leo Franco has been ruled out of the 2006 World Cup quarter-final against Germany following the injury of key goalkeeper Roberto Abondanzieri, who was unable to help Argentina in a penalty shootout. Then came Sergio Romero. The penalty shootout in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup is the exception, or Romero could not rely on Argentina in his entire career.
Willy Caballero and Franco Armani’s ridiculous mistake in the last World Cup has become a thorn in the side of Argentine fans. However, none of them, coach Scaloni’s main goalkeeper is now Emiliano Martinez. And Martinez has all the qualities he needs to be a world-class goalkeeper, as he proved in the last Copa America semi-final and final.
