Argentina’s camp for the 2010 World Cup will bring together two of the biggest figures in their footballing psyche: coach Diego Maradona and Barcelona gem Lionel Messi.
Maradona, who led the team to the World Cup trophy in awe-inspiring fashion in 1986, is hoping that the 22-year-old forward can repeat history and assume the mantle as the greatest player in the world in style.
However, it’s not all sunshine for Argentina, as the side suffered mightily to qualify for the finals in South Africa. The `Albiceleste are world powers, to be sure, but the most recent of their world crowns came when Maradona famously lifted the trophy in Mexico City.
The man himself came under fire after Argentina’s campaign.
Picking up only 28 points and eight wins from their 18 games, they scraped into the finals as the last automatic qualifier from the region, behind such moderate powers as Paraguay and Chile.
It took Martin Palermo’s goal in stoppage time at the fan end of the qualifying campaign against Peru to book their passage directly and avoid the ignominy of a play-off with Costa Rica.
From the bench, Maradona looked a pale shadow of his dazzling on-field majesty, using more than 80 players over the course of the qualifying campaign. Argentina also suffered the indignity of a 6-1 loss to minnows Bolivia in La Paz.
Only his beloved status in his native country kept him from the sack. Having used so many players, Maradona, and his co-coach Carlos Bilardo, never cemented a cohesive unit, or a reliable formation.
Troubles aside, Maradona has at his disposal several of the hottest attacking properties in world football right now.
It was not just the number but the quality of many of Messi’s goals for Barcelona this season that set chins wagging.
With an embarrassment of riches, Maradona can call on Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain, Manchester City ace Carlos Tevez or Inter Milan target man Diego Milito to support Messi.
Despite a few glaring holes throughout the team, notably prematurely retired playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, Maradona is flush with talent.
Bayern’s Martin Demichelis and Barcelona’s Gabriel Milito marshal the defence.
Argentina, despite their well-documented problems during the qualifying phase, must still be considered favourites in a competitive Group B, where they line up against Nigeria, South Korea and shock Euro 2004 champion Greece.
In the long run what really matters is not what the pundits say but how well you do during that month,” says Mascherano, who is likely to add the steel in midfield.
Spain and Brazil look a cut above the rest because they’ve both won trophies in the last couple of years, but experience tells me that the World Cup is won by the team that improves through the tournament, not necessarily the one who plays the best,” he added.
