Messi on a mission as Argentina train with renewed hope

Argentina’s forward Lionel Messi (2ndR), midfielder Javier Mascherano (C), forward Sergio Aguero (2ndL) and midfielder Ever Banega arrive a training session at the team’s base camp in Bronnitsy, on June 23, 2018, during Russian Federation 2018 World Cup football tournament.

So far, through two matches in the 2018 World Cup at Russia, Argentina have mustered just one point with a 1-1 draw against Iceland and a 3-0 loss to Croatia.

The two results now put Argentina in a precarious situation.

Argentina’s World Cup hopes are hanging by a thread.

The team, with only seven wins from its 17 matches, needed a victory while playing away from home against Ecuador in its last qualifying game.

– Who is going through?

On the other hand, Milla at 38 emerged as one of the World Cup’s major stars after netting four goals at Italia 1990.

A month on from Messi’s rescue mission in Ecuador, he sat out a friendly as Nigeria beat Argentina 4-2 back in November to highlight how reliant even a squad containing Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala remain on their number 10. “But the question for us is not if it’s the last World Cup for him”, Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr told reporters on Monday. We are professionals and we have to defend the colours of Nigeria. In football, there is no mercy, no pity.

Croatia will want to win the group to avoid France in the next round, the likely winners of group C. “We will give Lionel Messi to Lionel Messi”, Malkina said, laughing. Messi led his country to three worldwide major titles – twice in Copa America (2015 and 2016) and in 2014 FIFA World Cup – but ended as runners-up in all the three finals.

“We come to this match in a very delicate position”, he added.

Musa said he would like to return to CSKA permanently, but another stunning performance could see Europe’s top clubs queueing up for his signature.

Aguero appeared to break rank after the Seleccion’s embarrassing defeat by Croatia, hitting out at coach Jorge Sampaoli, who substituted him early in the second half.

“I know it’ll be a war against me”, said Queiroz, who coached his native Portugal at the 2010 finals in South Africa.