The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is now ready to commence, the wait for this quadrennial football tournament is finally over. The destination is exotic and unusual, and this will be the first time the event has been hosted in the Middle East, which also brought the atypical winter scheduling, given the desert climate made playing there in the summer impractical.
Brazil are widely tipped as favourites, although their main contender to lift the iconic trophy could be Argentina, who will be looking to extend an international unbeaten run stretching back to 2019. For anyone thinking about World Cup spread betting, this will undoubtedly be an exciting time, as this kind of wagering can potentially be more profitable. That said, getting some pointers and finding the best bookies, always helps towards being more informed.
But along with their impressive unbeaten record over the last few years, Argentina boasts an incredibly potent squad of players, arguably more united and cohesive than ever before. They have profound strength and exceptional depth in every area, resolute in defence, creative in midfield, and outstanding in attack. They also boast one of the greatest players of all time, eager to tick one last box on his list of remarkable footballing achievements.
The legacy of Lionel Messi
The last time Argentina lifted the trophy was back at the 1986 World Cup, achieving the ultimate success at the tournament hosted by Mexico. They also reached 1990 final in Italy four years later, and on both occasions, one player was undoubtedly the driving force. Diego Maradona lit up the world of football, and for many people in Argentina, he is their greatest ever player, the man they thought nobody would ever equal.
But ever since Lionel Messi burst onto the scene, his wonderful talents and achievements have received global acclaim, winning countless club honours. During a golden era at Barcelona, he won every trophy that could be won and claimed every individual award possible, including the Ballon d’Or for a record seven times.
But there were two trophies that eluded Messi, and both of those were on the international stage. Since debuting with the national team in 2005, agonisingly, Messi had reached the Copa America final on three separate occasions with Argentina, only for them to lose each time. In 2007 Brazil, before the anguish of losing two finals against Chile on penalties, in 2015 and 2016.
Then at long last, Messi and Argentina won the Copa America final in 2021, beating tournament favourites and hosts Brazil, securing a narrow 1-0 victory in what proved to be a tense final. Messi finally had an international trophy to his name with the national team, and now just one prize remains, which is undoubtedly the biggest and most prestigious of them all.
If he can win the World Cup in 2022, Messi can write a new chapter in football history, finally securing his own legacy, and in the eyes of Argentina fans, match the legacy of Maradona. Adding extra spice to this particular narrative, 35-year-old Messi has already indicated he will retire from international football, whatever happens during his last shot at lifting the World Cup trophy.
Argentina World Cup Squad
Head coach Lionel Scaloni had to think very carefully, when planning which players he would select for Argentina, largely due to doubts about fitness and form. Villarreal midfielder Giovani Lo Celso was forced out due to undergoing a muscle operation, and his place was handed to Exequiel Palacios of Bayer Leverkusen.
While his club teammate missed out, Villarreal defender Juan Foyth was rewarded for his excellent performances of late, although that inclusion was considered to be a surprise. As was the call-up for Paulo Dybala, who almost missed his World Cup chance, after sustaining an injury that forced him out of action with Roma. This is the final Argentina squad list:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Franco Armani (River Plate) and Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal).
Defenders: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), German Pezzella (Real Betis), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon) and Juan Foyth (Villarreal).
Midfielders: Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Leandro Paredes (Juventus), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Alejandro Papu Gomez (Sevilla), Enzo Fernandez (Benfica), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Angel Di María (Juventus), Lautaro Martinez (Internazionale), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Joaquin Correa (Internazionale), Paulo Dybala (Roma) and Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain).
