FIFA World Cup 2018: Top 7 attacking duos at the tournament

#2 Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero (Argentina)

Messi and Aguero are fearsome together

I know Gonzalo Higuain would be Sampaoli’s preferred choice, but Aguero makes the cut here on account of more caps (85 to his 70) and goals (37 to his 31). The Manchester City striker also had a far better domestic campaign on an individual level, than Higuain.

Sergio Aguero however, falls short in terms of his goals in international competitions. Only seven of those 37 goals have come in international tournaments (five of them), an unimpressive figure for a player of his stature.

But it also partly down to the fact that Higuain was chosen to start over him in many of those tournaments.

But with proper game time, he can prove to be a menace. After scoring 30 times in the season gone by, Aguero would be hungry for more.

Now what’s new that’s to be said about Lionel Messi? The Barcelona astro too, recently capped an incredible season with the Spanish champions, also claiming an unprecedented 5th European Golden Boot.

His World Cup record may not be as impressive but would be looking back at Brazil 2014 for inspiration.

The 30-year old was adjudged as the best player of the tournament, lifting the Golden Ball, but will aim to go one better this time around.

He’d be 31 by the end of his Russian sojourn, and so this might be his last shot at the prize he so desperately craves.