BRAZIL 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL
F
ARGENTINA,BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA,IRAN,NIGERIA
ARGENTINE SUPERSTAR:
Lionel Messi (L) vies for the ball
with Colombia's Carlos Sanchez
ARGENTINA
Albiceleste look up to Lionel Messi for inspiration
BRIEFLY: Argentina has been
present in all, but four of the FIFA World
Cups since the inception, being behind
only Brazil, Italy and Germany in
number of appearances. They were
world champions in 1978 and 1986 and
were runners up in 1930 and 1990.
Argentina are one of the firm favourites
to lift the World Cup in Brazil.
MISSION: Argentina have a squad
other teams will be scared of this
summer and they are clearly going for
the title. They will be gunnig for their
third title in Brazil.
PREPARATION: The Albiceleste
played a goalless draw against
Romania in their international friendly
on 5 March, 2014. They are billed to
play Trinidad and Tobago on 3 June,
just before the World Cup finals kick off.
HIGH POINT: The hunger and
almost desperation of Lionel Messi to
win the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. So he
could finally be duly recognised as the
most accomplished footballer of his
generation. Messi's ambition could be
inspiring enough, and galvanise the
STAR
MAN
LIONEL MESSI:
Barcelona demi-god Lionel
Messi is unarguably one of
the finest players in the history of the
game and he will be the centre of
attention this summer. The only
legend, dead or alive, to have won the
Ballon d' Or four times in a row. But he
has to forget South Africa 2010
disappointment when he couldn't
40 COMPLETE FOOTBALL
score a goal.
KEY
MAN
comfortable with and have vowed to
protest. The feeling that the fans are not
behind his decision-making and sense
of judgement could make the national
team coach Alejandro Sabella
uncomfortable on the hot seat and in
fact create division in the dressing room
as the former Manchester City front
Argies this summer.
Some critics still don't believe that the
Barcelona magician is a better player
than the inspirational Diego Armando
Maradona who virtually singlehandedly won Argentina the 1986
World Cup in Mexico. Aside the
personal target of Messi,
Argentina boasts of one
COACH
of the best national
SABELLA: Alejandro Sabella
teams in recent memory ALEJANDRO
rose through the junior divisions of River Plate
with an array of attacking in the early 1970s, when his position of
players that are already attacking midfielder was covered by Norberto
Alonso. His style reflected Alonso's, with
sending palpitations to emphasis on individual technique and short
the rest of the
STRONGEST LINE-UP
participating
Romero
teams.
LOW POINT:
There seems a
palpable feeling
that Juventus
striker Carlos
Tevez will not be
considered for the
2014 World Cup
squad, a decision
most Argentine
fans are not
SERGIO AGUERO:
Whenever the Manchester City
striker is fit, rival defenders
don't ask if he will score, they wonder
how many goals they will concede.
Injury has been the main factor that has
threatened to ruin the career of 'Kun',
but a fit Aguero will be a menace at the
World Cup as he is surely going to be the
one to play alongside Messi in attack.
Zabaleta
Garay
Campagnaro
Basanta
Rojo
Mascherano
Di Maria
Messi
Aguero
Higuain
FORMATION: (4-3-3)
KEY
MAN
ANGEL DI MARIA:
Another nightmare for
defenders at the World Cup
will be Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria.
The deceptively skillful forward is in
the form of his life at the moment and
his pace, dead ball speciality and
goal insticts are expected to help fire