World Cup

World Cup 2018 – Team Analysis – Argentina

The 2014 World Cup runners-up will be making their 12th consecutive finals appearance this summer – but only just.

All is not well with Jorge Sampaoli’s side following a near-disastrous qualification campaign and a chastening 6-1 friendly defeat to Spain in March. Uncertainties over team personnel and tactics, coupled with an over-reliance on Lionel Messi, mean that doubts linger over Argentina’s ability to progress deep into this year’s tournament.

Sampaoli’s squad is, however, littered with potentially explosive Fantasy assets, most notably in attack. We scrutinise the two-times World Cup winners and the players who could make the biggest impact.

Road to Qualification

Argentina’s road to Russia was essentially a qualification campaign of two halves: with Lionel Messi and without him.

The Barcelona forward missed eight of his country’s 18 qualifying matches through injury or suspension, with Argentina winning only one of those fixtures in his absence and accumulating a meagre average of 0.9 points per game.

When the 2014 Golden Ball winner was available for selection, that mean increased substantially to 2.1 points per game. Indeed, Argentina lost just one of the ten qualifying matches that Messi started.

Argentina sat in eighth position after their first three group fixtures, having lost their opening-day match against Ecuador and subsequently being held to draws by Paraguay and ten-man Brazil.

Messi had missed all three of those matches, but La Albiceleste were to finally win without their talisman in their subsequent fixture, a 1-0 away victory in Columbia.

With Messi back in the side, Argentina won their next three CONMEBOL matches to top the ten-team group, but that was to be the best their qualification campaign would get. It was during this sequence of victories that Argentina lost both the final of the 2016 Copa America and the services of their then-coach Gerardo Martino, with Messi also briefly retiring from international duty before swiftly reversing his decision.

A four-match winless run, culminating in a 3-0 defeat to Brazil, left Argentina outside the qualifying spots in sixth place after 11 matches.

Back-to-back home wins over Colombia and Chile briefly stopped the rot, before another four-match run without a victory left Argentina on the brink of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1970.

With Sampaoli now at the helm following Edgardo Bauza’s brief tenure as coach, Argentina managed to win their final match 3-1 in Ecuador to finally seal an automatic qualification place. Typically, Messi was their salvation: the five-times Ballon d’Or winner scoring a superb hat-trick in Quito.

Despite having the likes of Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain at their disposal, Argentina scored only 19 goals in their 18 qualification matches: only Bolivia (16) scored fewer. By way of comparison, Brazil found the back of the net 41 times in qualifying.

Argentina did, however, have the second-best defence in South American qualification. Only Brazil (11) conceded fewer goals than the 1978 and 1986 World Cup winners (16), who kept eight clean sheets in all.

Sampaoli, Bauza and Martino used an incredible 45 players between them during qualification, with indecision dogging the former’s experiments to fit a team around Messi. 60 players were said to be under consideration for a World Cup place at the start of 2018.

Despite their inglorious qualification campaign, Argentina lost only one of their eight matches contested against the other South American sides who made it to Russia (a 3-0 defeat in Brazil their only defeat).

Sampaoli’s formation for the World Cup is anyone’s guess: having chiefly used a 3-4-2-1 or 3-3-3-1 since taking over as manager in 2017, Sampaoli employed a bizarre 2-3-5 in the 6-0 win over Singapore in June of last year and utilised a 4-2-3-1 in the March friendlies against Italy and Spain. This last set-up appears to be the most likely formation that the former Chile coach will use going forward, but the tactical experiments look set to continue just two weeks before Argentina’s World Cup opener against Iceland.

Most starts: Angel Di Maria (18), Nicolas Otamendi, Javier Mascherano (15), Lucas Biglia (13), Lionel Messi, Ever Banega (10), Marcos Rojo, Gabriel Mercado (9), Gonzalo Higuain (7), Sergio Aguero (5), Paulo Dybala (4)

Most goals: Lionel Messi (7), Angel Di Maria, Gabriel Mercado (2)

Most assists: Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain (2)

Goalkeeper Sergio Romero, who appeared in all 18 of Argentina’s matches, misses the World Cup through injury. Ramiro Funes Mori, who made ten starts during qualification, didn’t make the 23-man final squad.

Since sealing their spot in this year’s finals, Argentina have contested five friendlies: wins over Russia, Italy and Haiti were punctuated by 4-2 and 6-1 defeats to Nigeria and Spain respectively.

The Key Targets

Lionel Messi and ten others? The consensus seems to be that Argentina’s hopes of a first World Cup win in 32 years lie squarely on the shoulders of the Barcelona star.

Messi is the joint-most expensive player on both Fantasy iTeam (£8.2m) and McDonald’s FIFA (£12.0m) World Cup games, but it would be a brave move to go without the 30-year-old given his pedigree.

Only Edinson Cavani (ten) scored more goals in CONMEBOL qualification than Messi (seven), despite the Argentina captain missing eight of his country’s 18 fixtures. Messi was, in fact, the only Argentinian player on the scoresheet in La Albiceleste’s final six group fixtures.

On penalty duties for the national side, Messi scored a hat-trick – including one from the spot – and set up Sergio Aguero’s goal in the 4-0 win over Haiti on 30 May.

Argentina’s reliance on Messi during qualification (see above) was underscored by their 6-1 capitulation to Spain in March, which Messi missed through injury.

The Barcelona forward scored 34 goals in 36 La Liga appearances for his club this season.

With three goals in as many friendly appearances since November, Sergio Aguero (£7.9m on Fantasy iTeam | £10.0m on McDonald’s FIFA) may get the nod to play in the centre-forward position in Argentina’s World Cup opener against Iceland on 16 June.

Injury effectively ended Aguero’s Premier League season in March, with the Manchester City striker only playing 14 minutes of club football from Gameweek 30 until the end of the season.

Fitness is the main concern surrounding Aguero’s inclusion, with Gonzalo Higuain (£7.9m on Fantasy iTeam | £9.0m on McDonald’s FIFA) selected to lead the line in that aforementioned win over Haiti. Aguero replaced Higuain on the hour mark, though, and scored within ten minutes to strengthen his case for inclusion.

Higuain and Aguero’s struggle for goals during qualification was indicative of Argentina’s wider problems: the pair, with a combined 37 league goals this season, scored only one goal between them in 12 qualifying group starts. Higuain hasn’t scored for the national team since October 2016.

Angel Di Maria (£7.1m on Fantasy iTeam | £9.0m on McDonald’s FIFA) is the stand-out midfield option for Fantasy managers, though two goals and as many assists in 18 qualifying appearances represented a modest attacking return for the Paris Saint-Germain winger.

Di Maria has no goal involvement in four subsequent international friendly starts, though did register 11 goals and six assists in Ligue I this season.

Fantasy managers will be interested to see if Nicolas Otamendi (£6.1m on Fantasy iTeam | £6.0m on McDonald’s FIFA) can replicate his form for Manchester City this season, having scored four goals and kept 15 clean sheets for the Premier League champions in 2017/18.

Otamendi was the only Argentinian defender to make more than ten starts during qualification, keeping seven clean sheets and registering a goal and an assist to boot.

The Long Shots

With Javier Mascherano’s powers waning, Sampaoli is looking to the future with 22-year-old PSG midfielder Giovani Lo Celso (£6.2m on Fantasy iTeam | £6.0m on McDonald’s FIFA).

Though likely to be stationed in a deeper role than Di Maria, Messi et al, the box-to-box midfielder has the legs to both initiate and support the Argentinian attack, and has racked up three assists in Argentina’s friendlies since November. Lo Celso and Otamendi were the only players to start all five of these fixtures.

Though he made no starts in qualification, Manuel Lanzini (£6.3m on Fantasy iTeam | £6.5m on McDonald’s FIFA) has made a late dash for a starting place.

The West Ham midfielder scored his first international goal against Italy in March and was selected in Sampaoli’s starting XI in the 4-0 win over Haiti.

Having scored two goals in qualification, Gabriel Mercado (£5.9m on Fantasy iTeam | £5.5m on McDonald’s FIFA) is a cheaper alternative than Otamendi in defence but faces competition from Cristian Ansaldi and even winger Eduardo Salvio for the right-back role.

Upcoming Friendlies

None

Further Analysis

Our comprehensive World Cup guide can be found here.

Group A Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group BIran, Morocco, Portugal, Spain

Group CAustralia, Peru, France, Denmark

Group DArgentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria

Group EBrazil, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Serbia

Group FMexico, Germany, Sweden, South Korea

Group GBelgium, Panama, Tunisia, England

Group HSenegal, Japan, Poland, Colombia

Our editor’s Fantasy World Cup tips as told to Proper Sport

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84 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Now I'm Panicking
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    That number 6 is a big lad - who is he?

    1. GreenWindmill
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Fazio I think.

      1. GreenWindmill
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        (Probably wrong though, I'm no good at facial recognition or international teams. Not sure why I had a guess to be honest)

    2. Azathoth
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      federico fazio

    3. Fantastisk
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      In awe at the size of this lad. Absolute unit.

  2. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Yaya Toure claims Pep Guardiola 'does not like African players' and was 'cruel' with him... Hard-hitting interview in tomorrow's France Football magazine in which Toure says, 'I want to destroy the Pep myth'

    1. Siva Mohan
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Yaya to Man Utd?

    2. Azathoth
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Zlatan + Yaya = BFF

    3. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Eto had noting good to say about Pep either.

  3. Siva Mohan
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    India 1 - 0 Kenya (67')

    😎

    1. Siva Mohan
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      India 2 - 0 Kenya (71')

      🙂

  4. Siva Mohan
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Stephan Lichtsteiner has admitted talks over a potential move to Arsenal are still ongoing with his deal at Juventus expiring this month.

    1. SAY MY NAME
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      potentially signing a 34 year old defender doesn't inspire me with confidence about how the board are looking at new signings over the summer, GK and CB has to be where we should be looking first, but something is better than nothing i guess

      heard someone mention Felaini earlier not sure how i'd feel about that either, useful for set pieces at either end i suppose

      1. CloudSky
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Decent squad player at a free, whats not to like?

  5. yakirh
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    One thing I'm missing from the team analysis
    Who will be starting goalkeeper for Argentina?
    Caballero or Armani ?

    1. Siva Mohan
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Caballero .. experienced goalie

    2. FFFrog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Caballero

      1. FFFrog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Armani is in the squad for one reason only - no Armani = no punani

      2. yakirh
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Thanks guys
        How can we be certain of that? its for the coach to decide, no matter what logic says

        Nobody thought that Sane will be dropped, Joachim Löw thought differently.

        I'm playing a local fantasy game (Israel) and for some reason,
        Caballero = 4M
        Armani = 8M

        (for comparison, De Gea is 10M)

        1. Team Cruel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Armani is comfortably the better keeper.

    3. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Armani

    4. GreenWindmill
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Caballero played in the most recent friendly so probably him but that's all I'm basing it on.

    5. UshFPL
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      I wouldn't be going for Argentine defence. They're in a pretty competitive group

      1. FFFrog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        And it’s a very bad defense

        1. UshFPL
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          They had a good defensive record in qualifying I think?

  6. Karan14
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Dalot to be first choice over Valencia?

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Rotation based on Jose's stupid whims

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Doubt it he is still just a kid but could be a top player in time.
      He will be a squad player used in the cups and as a good rotation option for the two full back positions.

      I cant see him just pushing out the club captain just like that but in a season or two all going well he might break into the first team.

      1. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Makes sense. Makes Valencia a no go this year. Doubt we’ll be able to find any value in United defence this year. All looking likely to be 6m+.

      2. Geoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        This. Valencia tonne first choice wth Dalot providing cover

    3. UshFPL
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      I would expect Valencia to start as firsr choice with Dalot getting the odd game. However, if Dalot can impress then the spot could be his. Valencia wasn't very good in the second half of the season

  7. bitm2007
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    How much can we read into England's shirt numbers (or any other WC team) ? I'd be very surprised if this is England's starting 11

    1 Jordan Pickford (Everton)
    2 Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
    3 Danny Rose (Tottenham)
    4 Eric Dier (Tottenham)
    5 John Stones (Manchester City)
    6 Harry Maguire (Leicester)
    7 Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
    8 Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
    9 Harry Kane (captain, Tottenham)
    10 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
    11 Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

    1. FFFrog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Dele is 20, assuming that’s because it’s his spurs number?

      1. bitm2007
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        He has to be in there IMO, probably for Vardy can't see England playing 4-4-2 which is what that looks like to me.

  8. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    France Football saying Sadio Mane to Real Madrid is almost done deal.

    1. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Apparently Klopp going also. Haha! I love silly season.

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      That would not surprise me in the slightest.

      He would have won the respect of the Real Madrid players during the final he was well able for it and Liverpool's best player on the night.

  9. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    How bad are Panama?

    Belgium 6-0 bad?

    1. FFFrog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      They were Switzerland 6-0 bad recently so I wouldn't be surprised

      1. FFFrog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        I imagine Belgium will slaughter them - they only lost 1-0 to Denmark because they could stop their very direct style and reliance on one player who could be targeted, but Belgium's passing should get through them.

      2. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Wow. Thanks guys.

    2. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Pretty poor. Probably 4 or 5 nil bad.

    3. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Enough to fill up on Belgium for the first game bad

  10. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Pep banned for 2 CL games
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44359914

    Wonder how much Real paid UEFA 😉

  11. jimmy.floyd
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Silva or Isco?

    1. Karan14
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Isco

    2. FFFrog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Isco

    3. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Isco ( or possibly both if playing Telegraph game)

  12. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    "When Pep fields a team with 5 African players, Ill send him a cake" -Toure

    Is giving each other cakes the utmost sign of respect in the Ivory Coast?

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Depends on the frosting.

    2. Norman Conquest
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      yaya got pretty upset when he didn't get a birthday cake a few years back so yea cake = life

    3. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      He said a lot more, most of which seemed pretty much spot on 🙂

    4. UshFPL
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Ridiculous accusation from Yaya. Pep hates Africans apparently yet he is signing Mahrez. Few if any top European teams have 5 African players. For the moet part, top African players' best attributes are their physicality and pace, whereas Pep prefers his players to be primarily skilful and intelligent

      1. UshFPL
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Most*

      2. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        That lowkey sounded racist although I'm sure you didn't mean it that way. And to be fair, Yaya is probably referring more to black africans than people like Mahrez who are of a different ethnicity. Not saying it isn't hogwash, but i felt the need to clarify that for some reason.

        Now I just made a meaningless pedantic point that added nothing to the discussion. Sorry 😆

  13. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Best 2 French defenders for WC from

    A Sudibe
    B Mendy
    C Umtite
    D Varane

    1. Ghost Gooner
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      AC

    2. RUUD!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      AD

    3. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      A B

  14. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Btw everyone, Bild say 26/30 of Karius' concussion tests after Ramos' elbow to the face came back positive

    1. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Was banging his head against a wall for a time after the game by any chance?

      1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Come on Ogie, that's just mean. It's clearly not his fault. Whether it was accidental is another story but the point is Karius was playing injured

        1. Ógie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          I could forgive the lad for making a mistake but if he was seeing stars he should have singled the bench that he had a problem.

          I think this is a stunt by Liverpool to take the heat off the kid which is fair enough considering.

          If he was really concused why not get him checked out straight away in the Ukraine?

          I do not think flying is recommend with a concussion.

          1. FFFrog
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            I can imagine his thinking - not wanting to be subbed in a CL final that he had a clean sheet in at that point and then not wanting to admit to everyone that he was concussed and should have come off. That's essentially telling everyone that Liverpool would have had a much better chance if he'd come if, which he knew he should have done, but he selfishly (but understandably) decided to stay on the pitch, and Liverpool lost. He would've been slaughtered if he said that straight after the match.

            1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              You can't tell that easily if you have a concussion when pumped full of adrenaline.

              Source: have been concussed, was told by doctors that my not noticing was normal

              1. FFFrog
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Agreed - I don't play rugby but a lot of my friends do and I've seen concussion do some very strange things to them. I'm just saying that that is how it would have looked to a lot of people who weren't knowledgable about concussion or willing to listen to reasonable arguments (as often happens in football) and he would've been slated even harder for it.

                1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  True

          2. FFFrog
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            In that case, him blaming human error and saying there was nothing else he could have done sounds better.

      2. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        I think I may have missed the sarcasm 😳

  15. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Morocco have a really nice squad actually

  16. RUUD!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Best World Cup mid bar Isco Hazard KDB Muller James DiMaria and Cout?

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      In real life or fantasy? Which game?

      1. RUUD!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Fantasy lol

    2. FFFrog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Perisic or Paulinho for fantasy imo, maybe Ziyech for the first two games

      1. FFFrog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Oh wait no Eriksen - just assumed he was on that list

        1. RUUD!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Ousmane Dembele? Is he likely to be first choice?

          1. FFFrog
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            Not nailed so avoid imo

  17. applebonkers
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    nice preview.
    my tip to win the tournament. barring neymar no other player comes close to messi when it comes to finding a piece of magic when the chips are down. otamendi and fazio is a solid CB unit imo, presumably one the main doubts normally surrounding them. higuain/aguero and dybala are some pretty tasty bench options too! full-back positions are arguably the most carry-able weakness in a side

  18. applebonkers
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    this is a great site for all things argentina
    https://www.ole.com.ar/seleccion/

  19. quayle99
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Which World Cup Fantasy is everyone doing?
    Im looking at Telegraph and Sun, whats the best?

    1. Salah Fingers
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      McDonald's official one when it launches tomorrow

  20. Vlad Tepes
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Is that a fantasy game? I thought it was just a bracket