There has long been a theory that, if Lionel Messi is ever to have his name uttered in the same breath as that of Diego Maradona in Argentina, then he must lead his country to glory in the World Cup, as Diego did in 1986.
To date, the modern-day Barcelona superstar has scored just one goal at the World Cup finals. While that's one more than a certain Mr W. Rooney, it's also the same number as Gary Breen. Yes, Gary Breen. Messi will be keen to set the record straight this time around, and the signs are good - 24 of his 38 international goals have come in the four years since the last World Cup. The supporting cast is, of course, very strong - Sergio Aguero, Angel di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain will all join Messi in giving defenders sleepless nights - making Argentina one of the obvious favourites for this summer's tournament.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
