Lionel Messi is in Qatar for his fifth World Cup. The superstar has never won the title with Argentina. This time, however, the South American country is one of the big favorites and expectations are high. Even within the Messi family.
Before the start of the World Cup, Lionel Messi does not want to think beyond Argentina’s opening game against Saudi Arabia. “That’s the mistake, isn’t it,” said the football star in an interview with the Argentine sports newspaper “Olé” when the reporter speculated that Denmark or defending champions France could be opponents of the Argentines in the round of 16. “We have to focus on the first match,” stressed Messi. It has a fundamental influence on the further course of the tournament in Qatar.
In 2018, Argentina drew 1-1 with Iceland in their opening game. After a 3-0 defeat against eventual finalists Croatia, they still reached the round of 16 thanks to a 2-1 win in the last group game. But then it was already over in the first knockout round against eventual world champions France. In 2014, when Argentina lost to Germany in the final, the Albiceleste started the tournament with a 2-1 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Argentinians start in Qatar on November 22 against Saudi Arabia, ranked 51st in the world, the South Americans are third behind Brazil and Belgium. On November 26th the opponent is Mexico, another four days later at the latest the decision about progression against Poland with world footballer Robert Lewandowski will be made.
“We know we’re going to fight for victory, but we’re not a priori champions like we Argentinians think,” said Messi, adding how his ten-year-old son Thiago – the eldest of three boys – is doing too busy with the opponents and nervous. “To be honest, he puts a lot of pressure on me,” said Messi, laughing.
The Argentinian superstar will play his fifth World Cup. For the first time in Germany in 2006 he was part of the squad of the 1978 and 1986 world champions. Of course he also leads the 2022 squad that national coach Lionel Scaloni announced on Friday.
Messi has recovered from an Achilles tendon infection and the 35-year-old is ready to play against AJ Auxerre at Paris St. Germain this Sunday, as confirmed by PSG coach Christophe Galtier at a press conference. Previously there had been reports that Messi could skip the game in favor of the national team. A so-called “Argentina clause” in his contract should give him priority for this. However, Galtier vehemently opposed these reports at Canal: “There is not a single player who has asked me not to play before the World Cup.”
