Dignitaries from all over the world will gather in Brazil in early December for the FIFA World Cup draw as the field of teams is divided into groups for next summer’s festivities. As part of its “32 teams in 32 days” series, SPORTSNET.CA will profile each of the nations set to compete at Brazil, leading up to the draw on Dec. 6.
The festive season is upon us, the time of year every little boy and girl anticipates being asked one simple question: What would you like for Christmas? “I would ask Santa Claus to bring me the World Cup.” The jest-laden request was made by Angel Di Maria to an Argentine radio station late last week. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. A World Cup medal must be earned and won on the pitch. In all seriousness, it’s been 28 long years since Argentina last hoisted the World Cup, and the irony of winning it in the backyard of their eternal rivals would make the accomplishment virtually euphoric. “The dream is to win the title in Brazil – it’s what all Argentines want, what we want and what our families want. But we know it is not easy,” said Di Maria. Point taken. The path towards la Albiceleste winning their third World Cup won’t be easy, but this current crop of players has the potential of being the next long-awaited golden generation. Time will tell if they are capable of seizing the moment.
Programming alert: Watch the World Cup draw from Brazil on Dec. 6 live on all four main Sportsnet channels. | TV schedule
How they got here: Rather routinely and without much drama. Don’t let the final standings fool you, as Argentina topped the table by the thinnest of margins—two points clear of runners-up Colombia, and four points ahead of third place Chile. Despite a shaky start which saw them defeated in Venezuela and held to a draw by bottom-feeder Bolivia on home soil, the end result was never really in question. La Albiceleste won six of their next seven matches, and remained undefeated (13 games) until their last meaningless fixture—a 3-2 loss to Uruguay in Montevideo.
Key result: Putting into consideration the final table, taking four points out of six from second place Colombia was extremely beneficial to the cause, with the victory in Barranquilla on match-day four being the most crucial. The hosts took the lead through Dorian Pabon just before halftime, but Argentina dug deep and increased the pressure in the second-half. Lionel Messi equalized soon after the hour mark and Sergio Aguero secured maximum points six minutes before the end of regulation time.
Star player: As if you even need to ask. The only prize that has eluded Lionel Messi and fuels the debate of his rightful place as the greatest footballer—past or present—is the World Cup. This will be his third appearance on the world stage, and at 26 years of age, it won’t be his last. Although, you could argue that Messi is at the apex of his star-studded career, and this could be his best chance at glory with the national team. Argentina’s ultimate success hinges on their little number 10, so it’s imperative that he remains healthy and overcomes the nagging hamstring injury that has limited his minutes with Barcelona this season.
Player on the bubble: It’s safe to say Argentina has many attacking options, which makes the task all the more difficult for Erik Lamela to get the attention of manager Alejandro Sabella. The 21 year-old received his first senior call-up in May 2011, and has since only managed four appearances in the national strip. Lamella impressed in his two seasons at AS Roma, scoring 15 goals last year, leading Tottenham to pay a club record $48 million for the midfielder in the summer. But Lamela has struggled to adapt to the English game and has been used sparingly this far. If he is to stand a chance at being selected onto the final roster, Lamela will need to quickly find his “A-game,” but more importantly sustain his form and place in Spurs first team.
Team strengths: At the 2006 World Cup, Argentina put together a remarkable 25-pass sequence before Esteban Cambiasso netted the second of six goals against Serbia & Montenegro in Germany. La Albiceleste’s prized commodity continues to be an almost telepathic sense of movement, with and without the ball. Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano, Maxi Rodriguez and Messi all played a part in the 6-0 thrashing in Gelsenkirchen, and barring any unforeseeable injury, all four will be present in Brazil this summer. As always, Argentina is considered realistic title contenders, though, the current talent pool is far superior to the class of 2006 in depth and technical ability.
Team weaknesses: The issue with Argentina’s consistent underachievement has always been psychological. On paper, the depth of quality to choose from through the years should at the very least secure a spot in the semifinals. Unfortunately, three of their last four World Cup appearances have ended at the quarter-final stage, and not since Italia ’90 has the team contested a final. The excuses are endless—whether it be succumbing to the immense pressure of a rabid and feverish fan-base, or the incapability of generations gone-by to match or surpass the god-like status of their ’78 and ’86 World Cup winning sides. To be frank, it’s all in their heads. Maybe a team bonding hypnosis session is in order.
World Cup record
- 1930—Runners-up
- 1938 to 1954—Did not enter
- 1958—First round
- 1962—First round
- 1966—Quarter-finals
- 1970—Did not qualify
- 1974—Second round
- 1978—Champions
- 1982—Quarter-finals
- 1986—Champions
- 1990—Runners-up
- 1994—Second round
- 1998—Quarter-finals
- 2002—First round
- 2006— Quarter-finals
- 2010— Quarter-finals
Team profiles: Algeria | Argentina | Australia | Belgium | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Cameroon | Chile | Costa Rica | Colombia | Croatia | Ecuador | England| Germany | Ghana | Greece | Honduras | Iran | Italy | Ivory Coast | Japan | Mexico | The Netherlands | Nigeria | Portugal | Russia | South Korea | Spain | Switzerland | United States | Uruguay