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Whilst I can understand this focus on the star players, it isn't true Argentina have a great pool of players. In attack yes, but their defence is below average. They have poor full-backs and central defenders who can be relied upon to make at least one error a game. Maradona has focused more on the defence, because of this. Messi isn't really going to be given much chance to becoame a legend with such a defensive emphasis placed on the team. If he does shine though, it would be more impressive than having done so with a team built around him.

Before people go on about Zanetti and Cambiasso, neither of these players have played well recently for Argentina (Cambiasso in particular).

which world cup maradona will it be this time.
82 90 94 tournements when he was sent off, disapointing, disgraced or

86 tournement when you have to say that was quite magificent.

whichever one it is the little man loves the world cup and the world cup seems to like him and give him luck.

just hope england dont have to play argentina could not take maradona beating us once again.

sturge999, in 1990 Maradona was probably only half-fit for most of the tournament but he still inspired Argentina to the final. I don't think he 'disgraced' himself or was disappointing in this tournament, despite the tantrums in the semi final or final.

As a sportsman and a person Messi is already far superior to Maradona though. I hope Messi never becomes the egotistical idiot that Maradona did.

Argentina to lose to England in the third place play-off game...

I will never doubt the sheer brilliance of Messi. He is without doubt the most outstanding player in the world at the moment. Whilst Cristiano Ronaldo might be the more complete all round player, Messi has been in inspired form. Some of this is down to his own ridiculous talent. His ability to turn on a sixpence and drop his shoulders and go past players is unheralded. Even Ronaldo doesn’t have the fluidity that Messi does in terms of going past players.

Messi for Argentina is a different proposition and its not hard to see why

At Barcelona he is nurtured beyond belief by Guardiola and is playing in a 4-3-3 formation which suits him to the ground. He knows his role and so do his other team mates. Coupled with the fact his other Barcelona team mates are not bad either... (Possibly the biggest understatement ever I know). A good player always looks better with better players, and let’s be honest, the passes Xavi and Iniesta play to Messi could make Heskey look a world beater.

Quite frankly, Argentina do not have a Xavi and Iniesta who can play the ball Messi thrives on. The formation is unfamiliar to him there is so much pressure on his shoulders, its unreal. Maradona may have been the star at 1986 BUT I do seem to remember there were 10 other players on his team if im not mistaken.

I think like previous Real Madrid models of their Galacticos this team could be too imbalanced.. great players and wonderful footballers but how to fit them in.. I disagree with # 1 too... you take in form players to World Cups and Zanetti and Cambiasso were instrumental in winning a treble with their club and toppling the best club side in the world with a defensive masterclass on their own patch.. sorry but not taking them is a mistake.

What followed was obviously not good but that moment in 94 when Maradona scored that goal will always live on in memory for me as being one of my first and most exciting world cup moments.. Who can hate a comeback no matter how short lived.

The question is, who will play up front for them?

Their striking options are by far the best in the tournament.

Araujo : What he says about Maradona, I completely agree. However Messi's problem is Maradona. It's not enough to have 11 brilliant players, if it was we would not have coaches and managers. So Maradona is doing something. What I believe he is doing, is putting the pressure on his players, and stiffling them, confusing them with rubbish tactics, and when push comes to shove he will blame them too when he team falls on its face. Maradona could never handle pressure...

Messi has the ability to be a Maradona - this is clear. This is his chance to join the greats like Maradona and Zidane.

After the God-like aduration Maradona received from his countrymen and around the globe in '86 it must be unbelievably difficult for him to live in the mortal world without always being the centre of attention, hence his second coming as messiah to the national team. I fear for his health after his heart-attacks though and pray it isn't all too much for the little guy.

Does Diego need his reputation tarnished and be compared to his younger protege Messi though? - no. Remember him from that iconic picture taking on the Belgiums in '86 and that he actually won the World Cup and skippered a weak team to the final four years later too! Yes, he's self destructive living life at the limits..a bit like Gazza, but what a footballer! He's why Messi wears no.10 and bears the comparison. He has the players and surely good coaches around him, so Argentina wont be far off if everything clicks.

think like previous Real Madrid models of their Galacticos this team could be too imbalanced.. great players and wonderful footballers but how to fit them in.. I disagree with # 1 too... you take in form players to World Cups and Zanetti and Cambiasso were instrumental in winning a treble with their club and toppling the best club side in the world with a defensive masterclass on their own patch.. sorry but not taking them is a mistake.

What followed was obviously not good but that moment in 94 when Maradona scored that goal will always live on in memory for me as being one of my first and most exciting world cup moments.. Who can hate a comeback no matter how short lived.
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nonsense mate !
Maradona is a conservative manager, tactics wise!!

They'll probably be the only big nation who wont use raiding fullbacks !
The back 4 will hardly cross the half way line..
And maradona will not try and fit all his attacking talents into the team..
Argentina will have the strongest bench in the competition, thats for sure !

I wonder what the repercussions on Maradona's status will be should they not be? Will he be no longer seen as a deity?
It was very brave of him to take the job like that.=, either way.

On Maradona at Italia 90 I seem to remember Argentina being generally ordinary throughout the whole tournament and placing a rather large emphasis on negative and defensive football. Every game they won by a moment of genius by Maradona. I can't remember if Maradona was half fit but if he was makes his achievement all the more spectacular.

There's a lot pressure on Messi to replicate the form in a Barca shirt for Argentina, I'd say that's an almost impossible task. However hoping he does well and looking forward to watching him and we will see?

# 11 Im sorry but where in that did I say they are full on attacking?? The comparison to Real extends only to having a few similar players and not enough positions to accommodate them without having an imbalanced team..

I think your statement about tactics and Maradona also doesnt go hand in hand as this has been one of his criticisms as a coach.. plenty heart but not enough knowledge and tactical ability..

I have no time for Maradona. He was a cheat on and off the pitch. Argentina must have little morals to allow such a disgrace to lead their national team.

I get the feeling Maradona is scared or wary of using Messi to his full potential in case it takes some of the limelight away from him. He's just not given the freedom to express his talents to their maximum like he is at club level. He's surely the one player who just tell to go and do what you do best and you build your team around that....

can't believe zanetti is out. in a country with poor full back options. madness. however you still can't bet against argentina, i think maradonna is imcompetent but with the world class attacking talent they possess, including the phenomenal talent of messi who can win games on his own, it just might all come together for them.

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subterranean:

i believe maradona only turned up in 1990 for one game (brazil) and the team was really average. it was 1994 when he was disgraced just when it looked like he was getting back to form he was in at napoli.

just think there is something about maradona and the world cup. i honestly think the 1986 inspired maradona will turn up. watched the last qualifying game v's uraguay he got it just right that night.

as for mr messi he just gets used in the wrong way in this side he's got his head screwed on maradona should listen and play him in the way barca do.

Good blog.

As a matter of interest, are there many people who have the world cup as both a player and a manager if anybody knows?

Khadrim
I see what you say about defensive focus and Messi but poor full backs? Heinze has some quality and I think not taking Zanetti is a huge mistake! Samuel is also quality and plays with Zanetti should be a no brainer! As Capello should have done with Scholes more effort should have been put into getting Requelme to play at 2006 he was brilliant and might actually be able to get something from the abundance of talent up top. I don't know how you choose between Millito,Tevez, Aguero and Higuain up top and throw in Di Maria and Messi if you go 4-3-3 but surely you take Cambiasso I mean the season he's had at Inter and the way he played in 2006... what if Macherano gets injured? I would have played Cambiasso Macher and Requelme with Tevez Millito Messi up top with higuain aguero and Di Maria super subs like tevez and Messi were in 06 Zanetti should be sarting XI! Maradonna will waste this talent or win by blind luck!

Walter Samuel didn't get a look in under Maradona until the March friendly against Germany, but one would think being brilliant for Inter earned him a chance. By that line of thinking Cambiasso and Zanetti had a case for inclusion. Anyway, nullifying Messi won't stop Higuain, Tevez, Aguero, di Maria... Further reading:

# 20 Sean wrote: are there many people who have the world cup as both a player and a manager if anybody knows?

'Der Kaiser' Franz Beckenbauer captained West Germany to win in 1974 and managed them in 1990 team funnily enough against Maradona's Argentina - he was also on the losing end to Maradona's '86 team as Germany's manager in the final at Mexico'86!

Johnathan,

Although your experience in Argentina and your interview with Marcela Mora y Araujo there's actually someone closer to home who you could have spoken to who has, I think, the best view on the Argentine national team.

Tim Vickery has posted articles on here and he's suggested that maybe Messi isn't the main man here - it could be Veron.

Veron, like Xavi (although he plays further up the field) is the player who will dictate the play and provide balls to Messi and play the one-two. Additionally he can switch play over to Di Maria on the other flank - using Messi as a decoy out on the right.

There's also the fact that Messi or Di Maria could be Tevez or Aguero and the same results could be achieved - the same constent though would be Veron.

There's no doubt about the x-factor Messi provides but I feel there's a lack of acknowledgement for the tactical setup of Argentina - after all football's a team game and it's the job of the other 10 to provide Messi a platform to show why's he's currently the world's best player.

I remember back in 2002 when Real Madrid won their last champions league title, with a squad of extremely talented players, i had this friend who claimed anyone could lead a bunch of talented players to success even him. the next year, madrid let go of del bosque, signed on Ronaldo (da lima) and let CLaude Makalele move on to Chelsea. well, they couldn't get past Juventus in what was essentially a midfielders game, and they have not being able to come near the semi finals since then.
in 2006, Argentina had Jose Peckerman, undoubtably one of the best coaches in the world (or so the commentators would have us believe), with an unbelievably talented argentine side, and they soon had all of us wowing. but a few bad subs against Germany, and he became a very bad coach.
so now the question is what is the minimum maradona can do not to be a failure, another question is if Argentina do reach the semi finals, could it then be that Diego is a good coach, or that the argentine team is good. everyone seems to regard him as a terrible coach who would only lead argentina home very early.

Argentina are certainly not reliant on one man anything but, they have a an abundance of strikers that can score for them. But as a team im not sure, messi is the distraction the fact he is even on the pitch will make teams wary he pulls defenders away creates spaces for the other strikers he doesnt have to score if he just distracts defenders he will have done his job.

To Jonathan Stevenson. Why did you need a translator for the El Diego book? It's printed in English now. I have a copy that I am trying to get rid of. You're welcome to it. I use to like Maradona until I read the book. He refers to himself in the third person all the time and credits himself and only himself with winning the world cup with Argentina and Seria A with Napoli. Now admittedly he was the main force behind the victories but he was playing on a team and should acknowledge that.I think Argentina will either win the world cup outright or flop very badly. I don't think there is a middle ground. Also one way or another I think Maradona will quit after the world cup.

@ 20 "Are there many people who have the world cup as both a player and a manager if anybody knows?"

Someone above mentioned Der Kaiser. Also, Mario Zagallo won the World Cup for Brazil as a player in 58 and 62, and as manager in 70. He was also assistant to Carlos Alberto Pareira when Brazil lifted it in 94.

The fact Milito and Aguero don't get in the side is quite worrying from the point of view of anyone argentinian. Be fair lads, lend us one of them.

and by that i mean not argentinian

If, I am to believe Messi has a very strong faith in his religion.. I would say that any pressure he have can be channelled in a constructive manner..

I cannot see Messi seeking guidance mainly from Maradonna,. He will do as is requested by his international manager but with regards to him having the weight of expectation on his shoulders and him feeling it - I just don't buy that.

I remember Maradonna once saying, with more than a hint of resentment, that Messi was harder to get on the phone that Barack Obama. There may indeed be trouble in paradise.

I like to think, like Batistuta, that whatever 11 Maradonna puts out Argentina have a chance of winning any game. Talent like Tevez, Milito, Aguero and Messi are going to produce moments that can win you games.

I wonder if Argentina win the World Cup whether people will consider it to be because of Maradonna, or in spite of his presence.

At the moment I'm thinking it is the latter but he has at least 3 games to prove himself. I can't wait.

Argentina are without a doubt the most fascinating prospect going in to the World Cup. You get the feeling they are capable of something a little bit special, but similarly they could be the tournament's big under-achievers.

The fascination of it all is that no-one really knows how it will all come together on the biggest stage of all. I was in Argentina last month and sentiment to Lionel Messi was luke warm. There is definately resentment at his young move to Spain, but the truth is the Argentine people are hungry for glory and Messi, Maradona and Co. will live and die by their performances. I just can't wait to find out which Argentina turns up.

I really cant see Argentina doing anything in this world cup they will qualify from there group as they have the easiest group but thats propably as far as they will get furthest for maradaonas men is quaters and that would be a good finish for them.

Mr Maradona is a great motivator, which will most certainly work in his favour for such a short-term event as the World Cup, Then for Argentina to boast Messi(the best player on Earth by a country mile), never mind the likes of Aguero, Tevez, Mascherano, Di Maria, Higuan they can most certainly blow away every team (including Brazil & Spain), however with such big names and ego's the team spirit is the most likely and most important component of the team that will be damaged. Argentina are as strong as ever and have much to prove after their lacklustre performances in qualifying.

Is the manager really that important at International level? Okay, if you have a truly awful manager you probably won't win, but I still think the importance of the position is exaggerated. He cannot make transfers or anything; his only jobs seem to be to motivate the players and find a winning formation/game-plan. As far as 'inspiring' the players goes, do they really need much encouragement to try to win the football's most prestigious competition? And with tactics, the team's natural shape tends to sort itself out in many cases. England are a good example - after 2 years of Capello, the team looks very similar to how it did under Sven. Finally, most WC and EC winning sides have had to go through at least one penalty shoot-out on the way to glory. How influential can the manager be in that situation?
Your thoughts, please. (I know I'm oversimplifying things, but the general idea should be fairly obvious.)

@ 36 - Even the biggest players need guidance and advice and all players look upto their manager's as sort of father-figures within football, theefore motivation is a great weapon for a manager at the World Cup esp international level where the pressure is much more intense. Also to have somebody as high-profile as Maradona helps to keep the emphasis off the team, have the media talked more about Maradona's antics lately or the performance of the team?

Argentina won't win. Why? They've got TOO MUCH talent. Too many big egos.......too many guys wanting to be "da man"!! Maradona, Messi, Tevez, Higuain, Aguero, Milito............the team chemistry is all out of whack.

They haven't been playing as a team and with that headcase Maradona in charge, they never will. He's crazier than all of them.

People are getting duped by the "individual talent" mirage. It's all about THE TEAM, folks. The best team will win and Argentina don't have that. They're a bunch of talented misfits led my misfit #1,......"el Diego".

37. Wheater_bix

Thank you for responding, and you are certainly right about players looking up to their managers for guidance and even as father-figures. I do however feel that they are more likely to feel this way about their club managers than their international ones, who they only see comparatively rarely. Rooney, for instance, will be employing that which he has learned at club level from Sir Alex Ferguson more than anything Capello has taught the team.

I must also reiterate that there would have to be something quite badly wrong for a player not to feel motivated to represent their country in a World Cup, whether they are being managed by Pele or by Andy Townsend or by me or you for that matter! Again, I make a significant distinction between league and cup competitions here, as playing a gruelling league season requires more encouragement than a month long cup contest.

I agree about the importance of the manager taking the pressure off the players, especially as South American countries tend to have the following philosophy: If the team succeed, it is down to the players - if they fail, it is down to the manager. With Argentina and Maradona, this will certainly be what be what people think.

To Post 38 thats a bit harsh to be fair to Argentina & Diego himself.

Maybe I am a little biased as he is by far the greatest player I have ever witnessed in the game but he was asked to get his country to the world cup when they were clearly struggling & did as was asked.

I dont buy into the argument that they are talented individuals but not a team, if you can provide 1 example of egotistical behaviour from either Messi, Aguero, Higuian or Milito I will eat my words but they all seem like team players to me.

I have a feeling they could win it, they arent gung-ho like people would think, they will play a very flat back 4 & use Mascherano to screen the midfield position & then try to get the flair upfront to nick goals for them.

I dont actually think there is an out & out attacking side in the world cup, Brazil certainly arent & neither are Spain, they play possession football & try to play through you.

Argentina seem to have a number of injury free players with good form, Milito won the champions league along with Samuel, Aguero has won the Europa league & Messi has scored 45 goals in all compeitions.

Compare that with Robinho's lack of success over here & Kaka's poor form over the last 2 years & also Spain's injury niggles including Xaxi, Iniesta, Fabregas & Torres and suddenly Argentina seem a decent bet.

Put simply: Messi is by any measure, the best all-round and balanced player in modern day world football. He possesses the technical attributes of Best and Cruyff and the composure of Pele. Clearly, his seasons performances are enhanced by playing with the most talented team in Barcelona. I am a Chelsea fan incidentally. In stark contrast, Maradona was a great, but limited player, bazaar choice as national manager and disgraceful role model and cheat. Maradona's off-pitch ego will sadly overshadow Messi's on-field abilities.

Put simply: Messi is by any measure, the best all-round and balanced player in modern day world football. He possesses the technical attributes of Best and Cruyff and the composure of Pele. Clearly, his seasons performances are enhanced by playing with the most talented team in Barcelona. I am a Chelsea fan incidentally. In stark contrast, Maradona was a great, but limited player, bazaar choice as national manager and disgraceful role model and cheat. Maradona's off-pitch ego will sadly overshadow Messi's on-field abilities.
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I agree that by sensible measures Messi is the world's best current player. Maradona though, when fit, had less limits on his game than any other player there's ever been.

Maradona is a clown and I am fully expecting the Argentine effort to fall apart after 2 or 3 games.
When egos get in the way professionalism suffers.

Quote from post 39 from SummersIron - I must also reiterate that there would have to be something quite badly wrong for a player not to feel motivated to represent their country in a World Cup, whether they are being managed by Pele or by Andy Townsend or by me or you for that matter! Again, I make a significant distinction between league and cup competitions here, as playing a gruelling league season requires more encouragement than a month long cup contest.

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Players can quite easily lose hunger for the game from their obscene wages, but I must agree something must be wrong with players if they are not motivated for the world cup, however I believe every single argentine player in the world cup squad has the admiration and respect for maradonna that they could have for no other argentine managing their squad, they would always put that extra 10% in for Maradonna, therefore I feel managers can have a huge impact esp as Maradonna has had an impact on every footballer in the Argentine squad from a young age, look back to his heroics from 86, u tell me would the players discard that when they see Maradonna as their manager? if me or you or Andy Townsend were managing that squad would we get that extra effort out of the Argentine squad, would they have the same respect and admiration for us? Would they wanna try harder for us? Maradonna however is not the most tactical brilliant minded manager I have ever seen and this is where his downfall could occur. He persists with a 4-4-2, when a 4-3-3 built around Messi could be much more beneficial to the team not just Messi.

A gruelling league and cup season is not as intense as the World Cup, players tend to play a lot more on adrenalin then endurance in the World Cup, also the pressure factor with the World Cup is where encouragement is required from managers, and who better to turn to then Maradonna who has been through every high to every low in World Cups

post 40 - I agree argentina could go all the way however maradonna's tactical ability is limited, they can certainly blow any team away like I mentioned beforehand and who better to motivate them than Maradonna, they even created a religion after him in Argentina, that is how much he is revered, however his persistence with 4-4-2 will become their downfall, with the attacking options they have I cannot understand playing such a rigid system and restricting Messi's genius. If Argentina fail then messi will have to take a portion of the blame, afterall the talking is done on the pitch, where Messi will be, not Maradonna

Maradona is, for me, undoubtedly the most talented player of all time

I don't subscribe to the notion that he wants Messi to fail, in order to preseve his reputation as Argentina's greatest player. He is secure is his position in this respect - Messi left as a young kid and Argentines don't have the same affection for him because of it. Maradona is their God and always will be.

Besides, if Maradona masterminds a World Cup victory his status will be lifted even higher - and he knows to have any chance of this Messi needs to shine.

I have to say I completely disagree with the consensus that for Leo Messi to be considered great he will have to win a World Cup. That may have been true in a bygone era but is certainly not true today. The World Cup has just become a normal cup competition in which the best players in the world usually don't turn up because they have burned themselves out playing for their clubs in the Champions League. The center of power has definately gravitated to the Champions League. That is where true greatness is now achieved - and by that reckoning Leo Messi has joined the pantheons of the great - as have add many others like Chirstiano, Eto, Ronaldinho and now Milito.
How can anyone seriously countenance the fact that the World Cup is still what it was. As Jose Mourinho pointed out recently club teams are now much stronger than international ones - which was not previously the case.

sirHellsBells is right about Maradona's tactics. He doesn't trust wing-backs and have settled on a flat back 4. All the flying wing-backs the other teams use will run into a wall when they play Argentina. When Veron gets the ball, he will send it right where the wing back should have been, Maxi Rodriguez and Di Maria will then exploit it to the full. As the centre backs move across to cover, Higuain and Messi will be free to score as they will.

As far as Galacticos go, we have Rooney, Argentina have Messi, Tevez, Aguero can get there, and Maxi Rodriguez is regarded by some as in that league. I just don't think Maradona has the tactical experience to fit them all in.

27. At 2:18pm on 08 Jun 2010, pmatson wrote:
To Jonathan Stevenson. Why did you need a translator for the El Diego book? It's printed in English now. I have a copy that I am trying to get rid of. You're welcome to it.

Brilliant! Mate, I think you'll find that he's referring to the person that actually translated the book so that you could read it.

Argentina have the luxury to play poor, it only takes 1 moment of brilliance to change a game and they have at least FIVE players who can create that moment of brilliance to change the game on its head! Also to have Mascherano protecting your defence is certainly another luxury.

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It is impossible to fully define Maradona. He is coach for what he was as a player. For what he is post his playing days, he should be nowhere near the Argentine team. But he is the footy loving nation's unflinching choice. So a riddle in contrariness, an enigma. Aren't the Argentines expecting too much already? They must believe in miracles!

I am sold on Brazil. Still, if there is one team capable of stopping them it is this madcap's Argentina. And if that comes to pass, Maradona will be uncontrollable for the rational world.

Diego Maradona has been a world class footballer, a fantastic play maker and scorer of some of the finest and decisive goals in world football. As an attacking footballer he used to impose his rule on the opposition and his fellow squad members would supervise the proceedings. In Lionel Messi Argentina has a Diego-like creative footballer who looks set to carry forward the great Maradona tradition.

Footballers who had careers as defenders or midfielders turn out to be coaches of the cautious type. Coaches who played as strikers bring in a far more different and positive approach in their coaching profession. As goal poachers they have tasted and enjoyed the applause.

Keep watching Maradona in his technical area. His body language is that of a striker. In Leo Messi, Maradona has found a footballer who can do things in style. Best wishes to the Argentine team and their fans.


Dr. Cajetan Coelho

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I really don't understand how Argentina didn't go further last year. The talent in the team is phenomenal, and with Maradona as Manager, it seemed like destiny that they would win it. The provided great throughout the tournament, bu in their game against Germany it all went wrong.

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are a much duller side now that Diego has left them. Long live Maradona!

Shame that Messi always seems to play better for than for Argentina. Maradona didn't really manage to sort it out, and I'm not convinced the new boss has it sussed either - Argentina should be at the very top of the world game with Messi in the side, and yet they're currently slumping into the 'also-rans' category.

Sorry but and are both better than Messi!

"Keep watching Maradona in his technical area. His body language is that of a striker." - very true :) - was good to watch him getting so involved.

is a better manager though (sorry Argentina fans!)

According to a poll on , Messi was voted the best player in the world. I personally voted for Ronny (the portuguese one, not the fat one!) but won hands down.

has the potential to be as good as Messi when he moves to one of the big teams. when he is afforded the luxury of just concentrating o his forward game (rather than tracking back and making tackles), I think he has the ability and tricksiness to become of the World Best.

Lol @ 64. 'Ashley Young can be better than Messi'

Even if he does go to or Man united, he still wouldn't be anywhere near as good as Messi - Villa would win the league if they had Messi in their side, whereas Villa finished in like 14th with Young. dream on.