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FIFA World Cup 2022 Preview: Will Messi’s Argentina Claim the Throne?

The FIFA soccer World Cup is, without doubt, the most culturally significant and watched sporting event globally. The World Cup final is regularly watched by over a billion viewers from all over the world, and as soccer is the most played and watched sport overall, success in the World Cup is one of the celebrated achievements most countries aspire to.

This year’s FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar during the months of November and December, a break from tradition as the World Cup has always taken place during June and July. This is due to the extreme heat in Qatar in summer, so this World Cup will be unique for two reasons; the time of year and it being the first World Cup to be hosted by a country in the Middle East.

Many countries are dreaming of success this year, and one of the giants of the national game who are optimistic about tasting World Cup glory is Argentina. This preview will focus on Argentina’s World Cup history, this year’s squad, and their chances of winning.

Argentina National Soccer Team

Argentina’s national soccer team is currently ranked number 3 in the world, behind South American rivals Brazil and European powerhouse Belgium. Nicknamed La Albiceleste, they are coached by former Argentinian international Lionel Scaloni, who took over in 2018 after Argentina’s disappointing 4-3 loss in the round of 16 to eventual winners France.

History

Argentina has had a rich and decorated history in soccer, boasting some of the greatest players the game has ever seen, along with tournament success and unforgettable moments on some of the grandest stages.

Greatest achievements

The greatest achievements of the Argentinian national team are without the two FIFA World Cups they won in 1978 and 1986. While 1978 was their first World Cup, and won on Argentinian soil to boot, the 1986 World Cup in Mexico is the one that lives long in the memory due to Diego Maradona’s legendary ‘Hand of God’ goal against England, quickly followed by one of the most incredible goals ever seen in soccer history from the same player.

La Albiceleste reached the World Cup final in 1930, losing 4-2 to Uruguay, 1990, losing 1-0 to West Germany, and in 2014, losing by the same score after extra time to a talented Germany side who had just thrashed Brazil 7-1 on their own turf.

Argentina has also won the Copa América, a regional competition for teams in Central and South America, 15 times, a record they share with Uruguay.

Notable players

Without a doubt, the most notable players in the history of Argentinian soccer are the iconic Diego Maradona and current-day superstar Lionel Messi. Two of the most decorated and idolised players in soccer history, both showed otherworldly technique with the ball and became global stars due to their exquisite play and fantastic goalscoring abilities.

Other notable Argentinian soccer players include the outstandingly gifted Juan Román Riquelme, who made his name in the mid-2000s, the feisty powerhouse Carlos Tevez, recently-retired Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero, and defensive monster Javier Zanetti, who famously captained Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan side to an incredible treble in the 2009/2010 season.

Jersey

Argentina’s World Cup jersey for this year incorporates classic white and sky blue stripes with stunning black lines on the shoulders to give a more striking appearance. Adidas is Argentina’s jersey manufacturer for the 2022 World Cup, and their simple but effective style includes the traditional Sol de Mayo on the back, Argentina’s national symbol.

Trivia

Did you know that the rivalry voted the fiercest in world club soccer is between two clubs from Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina? Matches between city rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate always produce fireworks, and fighting between the two sets of fans often takes place around the fixture.

The 2018 final of the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of Europe’s Champions League, had to be moved to Madrid, Spain because Boca and River were due to play against each other in the final but violence on the day of the first match caused the game to be postponed and moved.

Squad

Argentina’s squad for the 2022 soccer World Cup is looking as strong as it has done since the run to the final in 2014. Legendary attacker Lionel Messi may be 35, but he is still the shining star of this team, and Argentine hopes rest on his shoulders if the side wants to progress and have a chance to win the tournament.

Messi is surrounded by glittering attacking talent, though. Inter striker Lautaro Martinez has been in excellent form for La Albiceleste over the past few years, and Roma’s Paolo Dybala provides blistering pace and excellent technique. The evergreen Angel di Maria is still playing at a high level, and new Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez can provide magic from the bench.

Defensively, Nicolas Otamendi and Cristian Romero have impressed for Argentina over the past year, and with Lisandro Martinez and Nicolás Tagliafico still in the mix and playing at a high level, Argentina’s defense looks just as strong as it did in 2014 and the Copa America victory in 2021.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Preview

Argentina’s form coming into the FIFA World Cup in Qatar has been excellent and a real worry for the other favorites coming into the tournament. After winning the Copa America in 2021, Argentina beat European Championship winners Italy 3-0, and their last three friendly matches have been dominant victories without conceding a goal. They have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.

Qualifiers

The Argentina national soccer team qualified for the 2022 World Cup with ease, finishing second in the qualifying group behind long-time rivals Brazil. They finished unbeaten with 11 victories and 6 draws from 17 games and 10 points clear of Uruguay in third place, having played one game fewer. They only conceded 8 goals in those 17 games, only bettered by Brazil’s outstanding tally of 5 goals conceded.

Match 1: vs. Saudi Arabia

Argentina is in Group C, and their first match is on November 22nd against a Saudi Arabia side currently ranked at 51 in the FIFA rankings. Saudi Arabia has the likes of tricky winger Hattan Bahebri and pacey forward Sami Al-Najei in their lineup, and this is the second World Cup in a row that they have qualified for. In 2018, they came bottom of their group and memorably lost 5-0 to hosts Russia on the opening day, but their team has improved since then. Still, their talents are limited, and this should be a straightforward win for Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina side.

Match 2: vs. Mexico

On the 26th of November, La Albiceleste play their second match of the tournament against Mexico, a side ranked 13th in the world and who boast some serious talent in their squad. Defensive midfielder Andres Guardado may be 36, but he is still playing at a high level and can expect to slow Argentina’s attackers down, if not stop them completely. Star goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is there as a last line of defense, and the powerful Hirving Lozano provides a goal threat that Argentina’s defense has to be wary of. Argentina are rightly favorites, but this will not be an easy game.

Match 3: vs. Poland

Similarly to the Mexico match, Argentina’s game against 26th-ranked Poland on the 30th of November is a stern test of Argentina’s World Cup credentials. Legendary striker Robert Lewandowski has been in the form of his life over the past three years, and teams both in club soccer and international soccer have not found a way to stop him yet. Together with the outstanding Wojciech Szczęsny in goal and Piotr Zieliński as the midfield engine, Poland could be a real threat to La Albiceleste in Group C.

Possible knockout stage

If Argentina manages to negotiate the tricky Group C and finish in first place, they will most likely be faced against a Denmark side that has proven to be defensively resolute and quick on the counter-attack. Winning against Denmark could see them matched up against a resurgent Netherlands side in the quarter-finals, and winning that would see them come up against an outstanding Brazil side in the semi-finals.

Argentina would be favorites for every match up to this one, but they did beat Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final in 2021, which Brazil hosted. If they reach the final, Argentina could play any number of strong teams, such as Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, or England. The road to winning the World Cup is hard, but as frightening as facing some of those sides can be, Argentina will be feared by every one of them in equal measure.