Argentina star man Lionel Messi might not appear at the forthcoming World Cup next year in Russia, going by the results the team is posting.
A world Cup without the Barcelona star can be imagined as the South American side continually fall short of the magic expected of them, even with the diminutive magician featuring.
Other top stars like Angel di Maria, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and the rest might also sit out the world event in the summer of 2018. They have another chance against Venezuela when both sides clash on their ground in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
The team would likely have to go to the playoffs where they would compete against the Oceania winner New Zealand. With the form of the Kiwis, the Copa America finalists should not expect a walk in the park. Burnley star Chris Wood is in top form and he recently netted a hat trick. The Kiwis would be desperate to frustrate and possibly complete the demystification of Lionel Messi and the Argentinean side.
It is laughable that the Argentina side is struggling this much when the team members are select individual stars at their respective clubs. Messi’s slump in form should not mean the team sinks. There are other players that have carried their teams in the past; so it is a little baffling but it if football where anything happens.
Even at club level, Messi might struggle this first half of the term as the team tries to find the right balance. With the addition of fresh legs, the team would need to work at getting the best combinations. Messi reportedly pleaded with Philippe Coutinho to move to the Catalan side following the departure of Neymar but it didn’t work out. Ousmane Dembele was the option gotten so the team would need to help him adapt quickly.