5 things that can help Lionel Messi win the World Cup this year

Everyone remembers what happened during the World Cup final in 2014. One of the most impressive players in history, Lionel Messi led his nation into the final of the tournament in Brazil. However, the Argentine failed to inspire his side to claim the trophy as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Germany in the extra time.

It has been 4 finals now in which Messi has represented his nation and the failure to win any has posed serious threats to his fantastic legacies. In fact, the absence of international success is the major reason why many people refuse to accept him as the greatest in history.

However, The Argentine has the chance to put things right after sealing a spot for his nation in the World Cup this year. Once again, all eyes will be on him to lead the Albiceleste to the world glory when the competition begins this month.

Therefore, we take a look at 5 things that can help the Argentine to claim the coveted trophy in Russia this year:

#5. His incredible form

Messi is in a great form at the moment

Lionel Messi was one of the most impressive players in the world during the just-concluded season. The playmaker was at the top of his game, consistently producing excellent performances for Barcelona throughout the campaign.

He bagged an incredible 44 goals and 14 assists for the Blaugrana in all competitions as well as leading them to claim both the La Liga title and the Copa Del Rey trophy. He also put up some brilliant performances for Argentina during the recent friendlies, evidently scoring an impressive hat-trick in the game against Haiti.

If Messi can maintain this level of performance throughout World Cup this year, he will definitely stand the chance of making his nation proud by winning the prestigious tournament in Russia.

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#4. Decent performance from his teammates

His teammates must also step up

After dominating the football world for the past 10 years, there is no doubt that Lionel Messi is one of the greatest footballers in history. On his day, the Argentine can take on opposition defenses all by himself, tearing them apart and producing scintillating performances.

Apart from the Barca legend, Argentina still have a lot of amazing players in the squad. The likes of Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala, Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano, Nicolas Otamendi and Ever Banega are all world-class players who have earned their reputations with stellar performances at club level.

While Messi will be expected to lead the nation to the World Cup triumph in Russia, a decent performance from his teammates in the tournament will make the task a whole lot easier. With all these superstars firing, nothing can stop them from winning the World Cup and making their nation proud.

#3. Support from the Argentina fans

The fans must also step up

The relationship between Lionel Messi and the Argentina fans is not a very impressive one. This is why some people describe it as a love-hate relationship. In fact, the playmaker is always the seen as the scapegoat whenever the national team under-performs and then he becomes the hero when they deliver.

Obviously, this kind of attitude from the fans will not help the team at the moment. It is true that the fans want their hero to lead them to the World Cup triumph, therefore they all need to change their ways and provide the relevant support for their hero during the tournament.

Lionel Messi needs them to cheer him up when things are going right and he also needs their encouragement during the tough periods. With this kind of support, the attacker can end up leading the Albiceleste to the World Cup glory in Russia.

#2. Tactical brilliance from Jorge Sampaoli

Working with a world-class coach is another advantage for the playmaker

The ability to take brilliant steps at the vital moments is what separates the world-class coaches from the average ones. In fact, taking the right decisions at the right moments is helps what helps managers to lead their teams to glory in the beautiful game.

A good instance is the World Cup final in 2014. Argentina lost even though they played really well. But, a little tactical brilliance from Alejandro Sabella could have changed the fate of the game while it was still even.

Therefore, with Jorge Sampaoli now in charge of Argentina, Lionel Messi can expect a different result in the World Cup this year. The 58-year-old is one of the brightest tacticians in the world at the moment. His tactical brilliance was evident during his stint with both Sevilla and Chile, leading the latter to claim the Copa America in 2015. Together, these two incredible people can lead Argentina to win the World Cup in Russia.

#1. A little bit of good luck

Messi will need a bit of luck to triumph in Russia

When various players and teams attain major heights in football, we always hail their impressive performances and heap praises on their incredible abilities. But, we always forget that there are lots of invisible factors that decide success.

The role of luck in football cannot be totally dismissed. While it favors some people on their way to glory, it goes against others in their quest to achieve progress. What happened to the Barca legend in 2014 could be viewed as an instance of bad luck. He did all he could, leading the Albiceleste to the final of the tournament only to lose by a narrow margin in the extra time.

Its been 4 finals now that Messi has represented his nation, but obviously, he won none of them. His failure is not due to lack of ability because Leo is one of the most talented players of the past few years. Rather, he has only been unlucky to lose at those vital moments.

The Argentine is back in the World Cup once again, with his nation expected to go far in the tournament. However, a bit of good luck could be all he needs to win the coveted trophy in Russia.