The long-lasting rivalry between Argentina and Brazil will be reignited this year at the World Cup, with the hosts having the first chance. Argentina comes in second and one of the reasons for why bookmakers are so confident in their ability to win the trophy is that they have Lionel Messi fit to play. Once again he has been brilliant playing for Barcelona and even though his team failed to win the Primera Division, Copa del Rey and the Champions League, there is no way to blame him for the outcome.
As always, Argentina will need to sort out its defensive woes, but they only need to worry about it after the group stage ends. Keeping Messi injury free is another top concern for Alejandro Sabella, a coach that has big boots to fill after replacing Maradona. World Cup 2014 can make or break the manager and anything less than reaching the final, would be regarded as a major failure back home.
Group stage and event prospects
Among all teams that play at the World Cup, Argentina has the best chance of winning its group, with Bet365 offering odds as low as 1.22. It comes as no surprise that bookmakers are willing to take any chances with the South American team and overestimate their abilities. The thing is that neither Nigeria nor Bosnia & Herzegovina are capable of causing a major upset early on, while Iran is the huge underdog.
The Europeans have the second best chance to win the group and are expected to finish in second, but they won't be a threat for Argentina. Both teams have formidable offensive players, but the South Americans will take the initiative and Bosnia and Herzegovina will only be dangerous on the counterattack. For Argentina it is essential to win the group, to face a weaker opponent in the next stage, even though this could mean that they will be playing against England, Portugal or the Netherlands.
Key players for Argentina at the World Cup
Since Maradona retired, Argentina didn't have a player of the same magnitude, but Lionel Messi has a decent chance at outshining his idol. He is every bit as important for the national team as he is for Barcelona and without him, Argentina would not even be among the top five favorites. That's why it is so important to keep him healthy and in good shape, something that coach Sabella is fully aware of.
It would come as no surprise for Messi to be rested in the last game of the group stage if Argentina won the previous two rounds, which greatly benefit Nigeria. There is always the possibility for Lionel to suffer an injury in one of the games played for his club or a friendly match, but with Barcelona out of all competitions, there is no need to push him any further. Bet365 offers odds of 8.50 for Messi to score the most goals at the World Cup, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar who are both tied at 13.00.
Opponents will be scrambling to contain the perpetual threat posed by Messi and will constantly assign several players to guard him. It would come as no surprise if defenders will be particularly brutal when tackling this gifted striker, but Argentina has more options at its disposal. Ezequiel Lavezzi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero are all deadly in front of the net and the last who are also credited with a decent chance at winning the top scorer trophy at odds of 21.00, respectively 17.00.
The bottom line
Expectations are high and so is the pressure, but with such a remarkable lineup, Argentina has very few reasons to worry about their World Cup 2014 performance. The odds for the South Americans to win the group stage or the tournament are not high enough to warrant the risk, but Messi is always a good choice top scorer at odds of 8.50.
