If Lionel Messi had not walked back his retirement from international soccer that he announced in July 2016, it is highly unlikely that Argentina would have made it their 12th consecutive appearance at the World Cup Final.
Without Messi in the line-up Argentina earned just 7 points from 8 games – an average that would have left the 2-time World Champions 8th out of 10 countries in CONMEBOL qualifying over 18 games.
When Messi started, Argentina took 21 points from 10 games - an average that would have placed La Albiceleste comfortably in second place just Brazil 3 points behind Brazil.
Even with Messi’s rethink, Argentina still came within one loss of failing to move on.
It came down to playing Ecuador away and at altitude the final game. Ecuador scored early but two first-half goals by Messi and another in the second half saw Argentina through to Russia 2018.
Messi’s hat-trick took his tally to seven goals in World Cup qualifying scored in just 10 matches while Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani led the scoring chart with 10 goals.
“Of course he is human and one day you can wake up not quite right. Then things can be complicated for Argentina. In qualifying, when he was not there, the team suffered. They did not have the brilliance and could not win the games that with Messi they would surely have won.” Patrick Kluivert speaking to Ole
Messi scored more than one-third of Argentina’s goals in the qualifying rounds (only 19 in 18 games) and no other Argentine player scored more than 2 goals.
Other players you would look to carry the load failed to deliver. Angel di Maria scored two, Gonzalo Higuaín just one and Sergio Aguero did not score at all.
Last competitive goal scored by Argentina's forwards:
Higuain: October 2016
Aguero: June 2016
Di Maria: November 2016
Dybala: 0 goals in 12 appearances pic.twitter.com/N8KoGek7BH—(@MESSI0o) June 8, 2018
Aguero and Messi only started two matches together during the qualifying campaign – both against Chile and both vital wins.
It is clear that someone apart from Messi needs to get amongst the goals and quite frankly it is about time Aguero delivered at a major tournament.
Even though he is Argentina’s third all-time leading scorer behind Messi and Gabriel Batistuta his club scoring rate of 0.55 goals per appearance drops to 0.43 when he pulls on an Argentina uniform.
What is more, Aguero has never scored at a World Cup Final. Some critics have remarked at how drained and beat up Aguero looks in summer tournaments. This season he made fewer appearances for Manchester City in Premier League than in all but one of his other six seasons.
Aguero also underwent keyhole knee surgery in the spring. Could the rest prove to be the tonic Aguero needs to step forward and spread Messi’s load?
Messi and Aguero will be roommates during the World Cup. #ARGpic.twitter.com/7CQfvca3Eo
— ManCityPhotos (@ManCityPhotos) June 10, 2018
Argentina’s record over last 25 years
Argentina’s last major championship was the Copa America in 1993. Lionel Messi’s only international titles came at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2005 FIFA under-20s World Cup.
Argentina finished as runners-up to Brazil in the 2004 and 2007 Copa America with the former decided by penalty kicks.
Argentina also finished second in the 2015 Copa America and again a year later in the Copa America Centenario held in the US. Both times Argentina failed to score and lost in a penalty kick decider.
Argentina’s record at the World Cup Final since 1994 has been mediocre for one of the world’s elite soccer playing countries.
1994 – Round of 16, lost to Romania
1998 – Quarter-final, lost to Netherlands 2-1
2002 - Group stage DNQ
2006 – Quarter-final, lost to Germany on penalty kicks after 1-1
2010 - Quarter-final, lost to Germany 4-0
2014- Lost in final to Germany 1-0
Messi stats
Messi will become the 27th player to play in 4 different World Cups
All five of Messi’s World Cup goals have come in the group stage
Messi scoring record for Argentina - 64 goals and 38 assists in 124 appearances for Argentina
Messi’s 38 assists have provided 16 different teammates with goals – the scorer who has benefited the most has been Gonzalo Higuaín with 9.
Messi has recorded 6 hat-tricks for Argentina
At the 2010 World Cup Final Messi attempted 29 shots without scoring a goal
Penalty kicks record at the World Cup
Argentina has been involved in five penalty kick deciders (1990, 1990, 1998, 2006, and 2014) and only lost one – 2006.
Did you know?
Angel di Maria is the only player in the Argentina squad to start all 18 World Cup qualifying matches for Argentina
With Lionel Messi, Angel Di María, Giovani Lo Celso, Ever Banega, Cristian Ansaldi and Nahuel Guzman the city of Rosario (only 1.3 million people) has done extremely well. This is without Angel Correa and Mauro Icardi who are from Rosario also but didn’t make World Cup team
— Sean Monaghan (@SeanMonaghanSM) June 8, 2018
Argentina’s group fixtures at Russia 2018
Eastern Time
June 16 v Iceland (Moscow Spartak) 11:00 am
June 21 v Croatia (Nizhny Novgorod) 10:00 am
June 26 v Nigeria (St. Petersburg) 2:00 pm
Argentina and Messi’s odds
To win the World Cup +1,000 (10/1 UK)
To win Group D -162.5 (8/13 UK)
Argentina and Brazil to meet in the Final +2,200 (22/1 UK)
Messi to win Golden Shoe (top scorer) +1,000 (10/1 UK)
Messi to win Golden Ball (best player) +900 (9/1 UK)
These posters at Argentina’s training base in Russia thoughpic.twitter.com/ks8wfMAEqS
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 10, 2018
Twitter feedback from other posts
Poured myself a nice late night glass of Baileys and sat down and read the articles.. Excellent and thought provoking...
Sublime talents not to have made the World Cup...Says it all when Giggs is 10 and Cantona 6, but what a list...!— Andy Caulton (@AndyfromNewHamp) June 10, 2018
If #neuerthewall is 100% fit and is completely confident, Germany will win the @FIFAWorldCup and get his second golden glove in a row
— The 7 Nation... (@_7Army) June 9, 2018
I'd put in a shout for wee Jimmy Johnstone!
— Dave Lewis (@CeltlfcDave) June 8, 2018
