Argentina will start their Quarter Final against Belgium as firm favorites. But the experience from matches so far played in this world cup evidences that the gap between the favorites and others in this very tournaments has narrowed significantly. Argentina in all four matches so far relied almost exclusively on one man Messi. If for any reason he has an off day or gets injured it will be difficult for Argentina to make a match of it even with Belgium. Messi off course can make the difference in any game with his one minute Midas touch. Experts have stated of five reasons which makes Argentina the favored team to overcome the Belgian challenge.
A. Lionel Messi The Magic Is One Man Army
With the best player of the world Messi in the side any team can be assured of winning any match. He is more than competent in carrying the entire team alone on his shoulder if he is 100% fit. Messi is a magician with a wonderful of a left foot. He was instrumental in the win of every match Argentina played in the world cup. His goal bailed his team out in a tight match against World Cup debutant Bosnia & Herzegovina. Again Messi had to come to the rescue of his team against doggedly defending Iran with a very late goal. Messi scored two spectacular goals against Nigeria before being taken off as a preventive measure. In the pre-quarter final match against Switzerland he did the spade work for the extra period goal that Di Maria scored ensuring the team’s entry to the Quarter final. Messi holds the key to the team’s success. In any normal scenario Switzerland had the defenders to keep both Messi and Di Maria quiet, but such is Messi’s presence on the pitch, Switzerland’s back four were drawn to him as if by gravitational means. He set up Di Maria, who was in a void of space he never should have had, and Argentina won another game.
B. Belgium No Yet Exposed to High Quality Team
Belgium was in a relatively softer group and did not come across a difficult side as yet. Russia and South Korea were friendlier opposition. None of the sides Belgium has come across including Algeria and USA which they also played against and won were nowhere near the quality of Argentina. They have not yet come across any South American team. It is inconceivable that such an untested team can cause upset in beating a team having Messi and his battle hardened mates.
C. Argentina has wealth of experience
Argentina may not have been at its best as a team but it has enough experience in the team apart from Messi to contain any lesser opposition. Many of them have years of European league experience for major team. Against Nigeria in a very tight game the team could withstand the Nigerian backlash for the most part of the game in the second half without Messi. The likes of Pablo Zabaleta and Javier Mascherano are vital players for Argentina and alongside players like Ezequiel Garay mean Argentina do deserve more credit for their defensive prowess. Argentina’s experienced members were the men providing a more solid balance than in other recent tournaments, giving their dazzling forwards a greater license to attack.
D. Belgium's time will come later
Belgium team is still very young and maturing. On the world stage they are vastly inexperienced; one has to realize that this the major international tournament Belgium is playing since 2002 when current manager Marc Wilmots was their star performer. This young squad of mercurial talent will grow with experience and will offer major challenge for European and world titles in the years to come. But this world cup may be a bit too early for them to cause major upset. But the very feel of rubbing shoulders with the best of the best will do world of good for them. Diego Maradona faces four Belgian defenders at the 1982 World Cup. We have a feeling that this Belgium teams dream run in this world cup may not go beyond the quarter finals this time. We are when they play against Argentina they may have reasons to be overawed a bit playing against a team having players like Messi, Di Maria and Higuain. We know in many occasions this kind of situation brings out the best from a side. But this may make them putting their all early on when the experienced opposition will wait with patience in wearing them out and sinking them through their tired legs.
E. Finally the Fate:
Belgium and Argentina last met in 1986, when a Maradona brace was enough to see off Belgium in a 2-0 World Cup semi-final win. Argentina went on to win the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Many sportsmen have some sort of superstition and they believe in fate. This year fortune appears to be favoring with Messi and his men. Messi is emulating in many ways this world cup with Maradona. It may be a history repeating itself that Messi like Maradona carrying Argentina on his shoulder all the way.
Having agreed reasons with above five reasons which soccer pundits thought wise to tag favorite term to Argentina, it will not be prudent also to take the Belgian side for guaranteed. There is no reason why Belgium team bubbling with youthful experience cannot produce yet another excellent game and eliminate the favorites. But that they have to achieve with odds heavily against them.
BDST: 0932 HRS, JUL 05, 2014
