Moscow: Lionel Messi’s Argentina aim to put a shambolic World Cup build-up behind them and make a statement in their opening match against tournament debutants Iceland on Saturday.
The two-time champions arrived in Russia dogged by poor form, injuries and controversy.
But Messi is a man on a mission as he chases his first World Cup winner’s medal and will not tolerate complacency against the minnows at Moscow's Spartak stadium.
“Iceland showed they could compete with anyone at the last Euros,” he said, referring to their giant-killing run at the 2016 European Championship in France.
Messi was devastated by Argentina’s loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final, with the agony compounded by back-to-back Copa America defeats to Chile in 2015 and 2016. Despite his achievements with Barcelona, the five-time world player of the year is yet to win a major international tournament and time is running out as his 31st birthday looms.
He briefly retired from international football after the 2016 Copa America and has hinted he will do so permanently if the campaign in Russia ends in failure.
Coach Jorge Sampaoli took the surprising decision to reveal his starting line-up in a news conference ahead of Saturday’s game, picking Sergio Aguero ahead of Gonzalo Higuain.
Sampaoli, who has a reputation for unorthodox formations, seems to have settled on a 4-2-3-1 shape for the first game for the 2014 runners-up, fielding two holding midfielders in Lucas Biglia and veteran Javier Mascherano.
Higuain will be left out in favour of Aguero, who will play in front of talisman Lionel Messi, with Angel Di Maria and Maximiliano Meza on either side of the Barcelona forward.
Goalkeeper Willy Caballero has been given the nod, with Nicolas Otamendi and Marcos Rojo named as the two centre backs. The Group D clash pits an Argentine side that critics say is too focused on superstar Messi against a band of grafters who pride themselves on teamwork.
On paper, the South Americans should have little trouble disposing of Iceland, an island nation of 330,000 that is the smallest country to ever reach the finals.
But the Icelanders revel in their underdog status and showed at Euro 2016 they will not be cowed on the big stage.
Spurred on by their fans’ thunderous “Viking clap”, they earned a 1-1 draw with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal then famously dumped out England to reach the quarter finals. “We kept Ronaldo quite quiet so hopefully we can do the same against Messi,” said Burnley winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
“We know we’re probably going to be defending for a lot of the time and obviously he’s one of the best players in the world and he can turn it on.”
Iceland, ranked 17 places behind Argentina at 22nd in the world, topped their group in European qualifying with comfortable wins over Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey.
Kick-off: 6.30 pm (IST).
Agencies
