Bangladesh’s World Cup begins in earnest from Wednesday, because that is the day world champions Argentina take the field. A large share of Bangladesh’s football fans support Argentina and Brazil. Brazil have already played one match. Now it is Argentina’s turn. Argentina face Algeria in Kansas City, United States. The match begins at 7 a.m. Bangladesh time on Wednesday. With it, Lionel Messi and company begin their mission to retain the World Cup trophy for a second time in a row.
In history, Brazil and Italy hold the record of winning back-to-back World Cups. Argentina have the chance to become the third side to win consecutive World Cups. Argentina’s football superstar Lionel Messi is also on course to set a record. He will play his 200th international match against Algeria. It will also be his 27th World Cup match. Not only that, Messi will become the first footballer to play in six World Cups. This World Cup is the last chance to see Messi’s magic. At the start of Argentina’s title-retention mission stands a combative Algeria. Argentina have faced Algeria only once before, in a friendly. Argentina won that 2007 match 4-3. It was in that match against Algeria that Lionel Messi opened his international goal-scoring account. In the course of time, the African side now stands before Argentina on the world stage. Algeria could pose a good challenge to the world champions. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is staying especially cautious about this side, because Algeria sprang a surprise at the 1982 World Cup. In a group-stage match they stunned the world by beating the then world champions West Germany 2-1.
Since reclaiming the title at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Argentina have maintained a consistent run of form. Under coach Scaloni, the side is now more mature, disciplined and organized, capable of handling any situation. Lionel Messi is at the center of the coach’s plans. The fine chemistry between the midfield and the attack is the main driving force of the Argentina team. Argentina’s attack is no longer reliant on Messi alone. It is a world-class attack blending youth and experience.
The Argentines bring pace, dribbling and precise passing to the field. Argentina’s midfield has a strong reputation for retaining possession, breaking up the opponent’s attacks and quickly feeding the ball forward on the counter. All in all, there is a strong winning mentality within the side. That makes Argentina confident in their mission to retain the World Cup. The world champions secured their ticket by finishing top of the points table in World Cup qualifying, with Messi the successful figure on that journey.
A memorable 4-1 win over Brazil at home in Buenos Aires also lifted Argentina to another level. Their win in a pre-World Cup friendly is also serving as fuel for their confidence. Doubts over star goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s fitness have cleared. Martinez, who broke a finger before the last Europa League final, is fully ready to play. Leandro Paredes and Nico Gonzalez have also recovered from muscle problems. However, Nicolas Tagliafico will miss the start of the World Cup through injury.
Algeria, meanwhile, are confident despite facing a big opponent in Argentina in their first match. The side is known as ‘Les Fennecs’, or ‘the Desert Foxes’. They live up to the name. Cunning, pace and remarkable physical strength on the field are the side’s main weapons. Keeping a tight defense and breaking quickly on the counter is Algeria’s style of play. They can play high-pressing football at the same intensity from the first minute to the 90th. The Africans will take the field aiming to stop Argentina’s technical, passing football. Their hard tackling and pressing from midfield could prove a source of discomfort for Messi and company. Algeria’s recent form is also impressive. The side is unbeaten in four straight matches, including a draw against Uruguay and a 1-0 win over the Netherlands. In their latest friendly, the African side swept aside Bolivia 4-0. There is confidence in the Algeria camp that they can beat Argentina too. Most talked-about is their young attacking midfielder Ibrahim Maza. All in all, the Argentina-Algeria match could turn into a classic duel between the artistic football of Latin America and the power football of Africa.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report