More than 100,000 Argentine fans will besiege Sao Paulo on Tuesday to see four-time World Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi and his teammates take on Switzerland for a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.
The Argentine football army will be in place inside and outside the stadium when the Switzerland game starts at 1600 GMT. Most will have to watch giant screens outside the Corinthians Arena.
Victory for Messi would end the career of Switzerland's legendary German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld who has said he will retire at the World Cup.
A win for Hitzfeld's team would be a major upset and a disaster for the world superstar — now in his third World Cup without ever getting close to touching the trophy.
And despite a frontline that also includes Gonzalo Higuain and Angel di Maria, and until his injury Sergio Aguero, Argentina are susceptible to their dependence on Messi.
Their three Group F wins over Nigeria, Iran and Bosnia-Hercegovina all relied on Messi goals — four out of the six scored by Argentina.
Argentine coach Alejandro Sabella said he was happy for the two-time world champions to rely on their star man and likened it to Brazil using Messi's Barcelona team-mate, Neymar.
"I think both players are amazing. Messi's the best in the world, Neymar is a great player and of course with players like this the team depends on them. It's normal," he said.
Switzerland are calling Xherdan Shaqiri — who scored all the goals in the 3-0 triumph over Honduras — their own Messi. But Switzerland have never beaten Argentina at the World Cup in six previous attempts.
And despite scoring seven goals in Group E, they also conceded six, including five by France.
