FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Argentina 1 - 0 Chile: 5 Talking Points

1. Lionel Messi’s task with current Argentina squad is tougher than Maradona’s with the ‘86 team

Popular legend has it that Diego Maradona took Argentina to the zenith in 1986 single-footed-ly. This is of course partly true, as he was the heart and soul of the team, but it does a great disservice to those around him. His manager Carlos Bilardo was a defense-organiser-par-excellence and Argentina’s defence in that World Cup was nigh impregnable at times while in the two Jorges – Valdano and Burruchage, Maradona had two in-form (and importantly clinical-in-front-of-goal) attacking players in support.

This team has Marcos Rojo and Nicolas Otamendi in the heart of the defence and a misfiring duo of Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain up top. In fact, other than Javier Mascherano (who gave his all, as always, today) I doubt any one of the others would have made the ‘86 team – on performance, not on big-name-ness. Today Messi showed just how great a task he has on his hands... he was seen as much in a defensive midfielder role as he was in an attacking one, as much on the wings as he was in the centre and at times it looked only he gave a damn as he pressed hard and ran harder for the duration of the match. The only offensive threat Argentina posed was when Messi had the ball at his feet – Di Maria won the penalty from a Messi through ball, and Otamendi missed a glorious chance from a superb Messi set-piece.

If Argentina do make it to Russia (which looks much more likely now) and if they do make a fist of it, it will all down to Lionel Andres Messi and his sheer will to win.