Lionel Messi’s been here before. Four times before, to be exact. Now 35, he’s unlikely to be here again.
As Argentina prepare for their opening game of the Fifa World Cup against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the focus – as ever – is on their unparalleled number 10. After he led them to a first Copa America success since 1993 last year, the pressure on him to finally lead La Albiceleste to World Cup glory has arguably intensified.
He was a fringe member of the squad in 2006, but he was expected to be a catalyst four years later. Yet the slapdash approach to coaching employed by the late Diego Maradona was always likely to undermine anything even the world’s best player could hope to achieve.
GROUP C BETTING: Argentina 2/5, Mexico 9/2, Poland 9/2, Saudi Arabia 25/1
It was at the finals in Brazil in 2014 that it really felt like Messi left something out there. While the Argentina squad was by no means the most talented taking part, they had found a way to do enough to win games, with the likes of Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero playing supporting roles to the man himself.
But they scored only twice in the knockout stage – neither of them thanks to Messi – as they underwhelmed when it really mattered, and Higuain’s shocking miss in the final from Toni Kroos’ miscued headed clearance was the enduring image as the diminutive skipper was left tearing away a silver medal in frustration rather than collecting the famous gold trophy.
By 2018 it felt like Messi’s chance had been and gone. Argentina were a total and utter mess under Jorge Sampaoli, and their tepid 1-1 draw with Iceland, 3-0 collapse to Croatia and chaotic 2-1 win over Nigeria perfectly summed up where they were as a unit. Their 4-3 thriller with France was the game of the tournament but it always felt as though the Argentines would find a way to concede one more than they scored no matter how many goals that involved.
TOURNAMENT ODDS: Argentina 11/2, Poland 200/1, Mexico 200/1, Saudi Arabia 750/1
If you’d asked fans four years ago whether Messi would even still be wearing the famous blue and white shirt for the Qatar finals, many would probably have said it was one tournament too far. But as it turns out, he might have as much chance of finally lifting the most coveted prize in the game this year as he ever has before.
Argentina are unbeaten in 35 matches, won their first continental title in 28 years little more than 12 months ago, adding the Finalissima trophy soon after, and boast arguably a better-prepared squad than any they’ve had in recent World Cups. They also have a version of Lionel Messi far removed from the one who rocked up at Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021 with tears still in his eyes from his Barcelona exit and proceeded to score just six league goals in his first season.
He's already scored more in the opening half of this Ligue 1 campaign and arrives in the Middle East as something like the player he was expected to be back in 2014 at his perceived peak. Argentina might not win the World Cup, but they surely can’t be the shambles they were at times in 2010 and 2018, nor the unfinished article of 2006 and 2014.
ARGENTINA STAGE OF ELIMINATION: Group stage: 6/1, Last 16: 3/1, Quarter-Final: 5/2, Semi-Final: 7/2, Runner-Up: 8/1, Winners: 11/2
Besides back-up keeper Franco Armani, every one of their 26 players is plying their trade in a major European league, while they have a great mix of experience and youth, the latter provided by up-and-coming stars such as Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, Benfica’s super talent Enzo Fernandez and Brighton & Hove Albion star Alexis Mac Allister.
Sure, Messi has been here four times before, but this might just be the one big shot he’s been longing for in his 17 years of international football.
Tue 22 Nov (10am GMT): Argentina 1/6, Saudi Arabia 16/1 (draw 11/2)
Tue 22 Nov (4pm): Mexico 17/10, Poland 7/4 (draw 2/1)
Sat 26 Nov (1pm): Poland 8/13, Saudi Arabia 9/2 (draw 11/4)
Sat 26 Nov (7pm): Argentina 4/7, Mexico 5/1 (draw 11/4)
Wed 30 Nov (7pm): Poland 4/1, Argentina 4/6 (draw 11/4)
Wed 30 Nov (7pm): Saudi Arabia 9/2, Mexico 8/13 (draw 11/4)
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
