Maradona’s birthday greetings for Messi

Iceland striker Alfred Finnbogason pointed to Argentina's failure to gel as a team during the qualifying campaign and said that his side were hoping to disappoint Lionel Messi and Co in the World Cup Group D opener on June 17.

Iceland are preparing to face Argentina in their World Cup debut at Spartak Stadium and Finnbogason said the 1-1 draw his side achieved against Portugal in their opening match at Euro 2016 would inspire them in Moscow.

The Augsburg striker, who came off the bench in that game as Iceland recorded a famous draw, added that stopping Messi would require more of the teamwork that the Nordic island nation became famous for two years ago.

"We know all players of Argentina but you never know how they work as a team," Finnbogason told Omnisport. "They have so many stars. Our strength always is the team.

"We work well as a team together. It is difficult to score goals against us. If we can take the momentum of the Euros to the World Cup it will be difficult to beat us. We aren't a favourite in the group but we will give everything to be able to surprise again."

When asked about Messi, the 29-year-old responded that it would be a pleasure to see the Argentine superstar as angry as Ronaldo was in 2016, but added that he was relieved he would not have much to do on defence.

"I am happy that I am a striker. Maybe I do not need to defend so much against him. But that is the special thing about these big tournaments.

"Also against Ronaldo it was very special. He was so angry after the game that they didn't win against us. I hope that we will disappoint another world star in the first game of the World Cup."

With the World Cup only days away, football fever has gripped the entire nation. Jersey-sellers are doing brisk business as fans flock to shops to buy jerseys of their favourite teams. The photo was taken in Sylhet city's Zindabazar area yesterday. Photo: Sheikh Nasir

Despite their poor form, Finnbogason believes Iceland have improved since their impressive run to the quarter-finals in France, saying: "In the last two years we have developed the style of play as a team and got better. We showed that in our results in the very difficult group which we had in the qualification.

“I hope that we will surprise again. Of course it is our target to go farther than the group stage."

Argentina and Nigeria will be battling it out for a last-16 spot of Group D in the World Cup at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg.

Argentina are currently enduring their longest winless run in a first-round World Cup group stage in history. Nigeria, on the other hand, has an advantage over Argentina in terms of points but has lacked consistently so far in the Group Stage. Nigeria are second in their group and could qualify should they beat Argentina. The South American side, however, still have a final shot at making it to the last 16 if they are to beat Nigeria, and if Croatia managed to avoid defeat to Iceland.

The match is scheduled to start at 12:00 am in Bangladesh time. Let’s look at some of the statistics ahead of the thrilling encounter.

     Head-to-head:

1. In each of the last four World Cups Nigeria have qualified for (2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018) they have been drawn in the same group as Argentina. They were also in the same group in 1994.
2. The Super Eagles have lost all four of their previous World Cup games against Argentina, with all of those defeats by single-goal margins (1-0 in 2002 and 2010, 2-1 in 1994, 3-2 in 2014).
3. The Nigerians lost a group game to Paraguay at the 1998 tournament, so have been defeated in all five of their World Cup matches versus South American opposition.

    Nigeria

1. Nigeria's six World Cup wins have all come against European sides - they have never beaten opposition from another continent.
2. The only previous time the Super Eagles won back-to-back World Cup games was in 1998, when they defeated Spain and Bulgaria in their first two matches.
3. Victory would ensure Nigeria reach the knock-out stage for a second successive World Cup, and for the fourth time in six appearances overall.
4. Ahmed Musa is Nigeria's all-time top scorer at the World Cup with four goals - two against Iceland at this tournament, and two versus Argentina in 2014.

   Argentina

1. The only previous time Argentina have failed to win a game at a World Cup was in 1934, when the tournament was a straight knock-out. They selected an inexperienced, amateur squad, and lost 3-2 to Sweden in the first round.
2. They have never completed a first round group stage at a World Cup without at least one win.
3.  The Argentines are enduring their longest winless run in World Cup history (D2, L2), although that four-match streak includes the 2014 semi-final against the Dutch, which they won on penalties.
4. They last lost back-to-back World Cup games in 1994 (against Bulgaria and Romania). They have never lost consecutive games in the opening group stage.
5. Lionel Messi has failed to score with his last 22 shots in matches at World Cup finals.
6. But over the last two years he has scored 14 goals in 18 games for Argentina.

Around 400 eager fans turned out at Argentina's World Cup base camp to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi and his team-mates at an open training session.

A particularly affectionate welcome was reserved for the Barcelona forward, as hordes of adoring young supporters chanted "Messi, Messi" on his way out for an hour-long practice on Monday.

After several days of chilly temperatures in the Russian capital, overcast skies gave way to sunshine, with excited locals packing a temporary stand in Bronnitsy, southeast of Moscow, to follow the action.

Injury had already struck Argentina on the eve of their departure for the tournament, with West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini ruled out with a serious knee injury.

Enzo Perez was summoned as a replacement for Lanzini, although the status of Ever Banega for Argentina's first group game against Iceland on June 16 remains uncertain after the Sevilla midfielder trained alone.

The odd Messi mask was spotted in the crowd, while others waved Barcelona flags, as well as those of Argentina.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was then mobbed by dozens of youngsters at the end of the session as players stopped to sign autographs.

Ernesto Lagorio, Argentina's ambassador to Russia, was at the session at the sprawling training centre, used by several Russian national sports teams, on the banks of the River Moscow.

"We came to see our national team, it's the first acquaintance with them, it's been great," Lagorio told AFP.

"We've already been to Bronnitsy several times, we've worked a lot with the authorities and the mayor. He's helped us a lot, it's been in the works for several months."

Asked whether he would be attending matches, he replied: "I hope to show up until the final match in July."

What a shocker it was! No football buff, I believe, saw this coming. Argentina, the powerhouse of world football, are on the brink of elimination this early from the World Cup in Russia.

A 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Croatia numbed the Albiceleste fans, who were rightly expecting the two-time world champions to regroup after the 1-1 draw against World Cup rookies Iceland and hit the right groove.

But the way they played was total rubbish, as our finance minister Abul Maal Muhith would have loved to sum up in disdain. Soon after the humiliation, social media and regular media were abuzz with cries and criticisms, wondering what had gone wrong with Jorge Sampaoli's men.

The scale of fury and frustration has gone up to an unbelievable extent, so much so that 'Don't cry for me, Argentina', the hit song of 1976 in the film Evita, returns to encapsulate the expressions of fans and media alike.

Right from the whistle go, Argentina, studded with superstar and stars, seemed like 11 cats on a hot tin roof. The famed footballers seemingly treated Telstar, the high-tech official football for the tournament, as a ball of fire. Too desperate to dispatch the ball the moment one received it. Defenders exchanged short passes too close to their ball-chasing opponents and went on to lose control of the ball several times in the opening half, drawing groans and grunts from the stands and from millions watching across the globe.

It was too dangerous and absolutely unnecessary. And Argentina paid the first price through their nose because of this madness. Following some short-pass exchanges, goalkeeper Willy Caballero scooped up the ball from deep inside the box for Croatian winger Ante Rebic to hit home perfectly. It was a gift to Croatia from a goof of a goalkeeper. And, for decades to come, it will be seen as one of the ugliest goals ever scored off a blunder.

A crucial match it certainly was. And Argentina could not cope with this pressure. They started off the game with pressure plastered all over their faces. They appeared too tense to think clearly and build a planned attack. The match required cool customers, from coach to keeper. Coach Sampaoli himself demonstrated the unwanted image of impatience. Tensed, Sampaoli was seen stomping around in front of the bench, throwing his hands, grumbling, gesturing, taking his jacket off and what not. This overly tensed image of a manager played a part in pushing his charges over the edge! As it happens in such matches, a staggering 38 fouls were committed, 16 of them by Argentina.

With Argentina being a bundle of raw nerves, Croatia could take total control of the match gradually. Luka Modric showed his opposite number Lionel Messi how a No 10 was supposed to play by hammering in a pile-driver after twisting and turning through a few defenders. Ivan Rakitic made it 3-0 some time after his magnificent free-kick ricocheted off the far post.

So, should Argentine daggers be out for Messi, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and arguably the greatest player on earth? It will be very unfair.

Argentina is more than Messi. In fact, all the glittering stars of leading clubs make Argentina. Javier Mashcherano, Sergio Aguero, Enzo Perez, Eduardo Salvio, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel di Maria, Paulo Dybala and so on. Together, they should have formed a team of Invincibles.

Unfortunately, Sampaoli, like his predecessors, failed to mould his players into a team. They played like listless individuals and without any objective. They were eleven players but still not a team. Here the role of a coach becomes so crucial. Sampaoli failed to play that role. He also appears not to be a good tactician.

Argentina didn't have a game plan. If they had one, they forgot about it as soon as they entered the field. They played like disjointed pieces of a machine. Defence was delinked from midfield and midfield oblivious of its forwards. The supply from midfield to Messi or other forwards was almost nil. Argentina was designed to fail.

Croatia advance to the round of 16, and Argentina hope against hope for a miracle in Group D to qualify as the other team. And if that does not happen, the World Cup would be less exciting without Messi.

The writer is former Sports Editor of The Daily Star 

Veteran Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano insists relations between the players and coach Jorge Sampaoli are not strained after reports of unrest within the team camp.

Sampaoli was roundly criticised for his game plan following a 3-0 loss to Croatia in Argentina's second group game at the World Cup, sparking rumours the 58-year-old would be sacked during the tournament.

"The relationship with the coach is completely normal," Mascherano said ahead of the must-win match against Nigeria in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday.

"Obviously, when we feel uncomfortable about something we speak with him because if we didn't we would be hypocrites."

Argentina were on the brink of elimination after the Croatia mauling but victory against Nigeria would send them through as runners-up in Group D if leaders Croatia avoid defeat against Iceland.

"We know the situation is tricky," Mascherano said. "We have to be united, to express our opinions, and do everything possible so the team goes into the game in the best position."

Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia has given his backing to Sampaoli after holding a meeting with the embattled coach on Friday, a team source revealed.

Franco Armani is tipped to replace Willy Caballero for the Nigeria clash after the Chelsea goalkeeper's blunder against Croatia, with Sampaoli also expected to ditch his three-match defence and return to a traditional back four.