5 reasons why Argentina could win the World Cup 2018 now
Nobody expected Argentina to qualify for the World Cup in the first place but Lionel Messi lifted them to the grandest stage in the world. Pitted against Croatia, Nigeria and Iceland, many actually thought that Argentina could bow out of the group stages itself.
And it almost happened.
However, some luck mixed with determination saved the Argentines from the blushes. After all, this is a competition where the best players display their skills on the biggest stage of them all.
And given that Lionel Messi is regarded as the best player of this generation, it would have been a shame if the Barcelona man bowed out of the tournament from the group stages itself.
Right now, there is actually a very good chance for Messi to face his contemporary Cristiano Ronaldo in the quarter-final. But before that, Argentina will have to beat France and Portugal will have to overcome Uruguay.
Despite the fact that beating France looks like a tough ask, Argentina can not only do it but also go all the way and win the World Cup – and here are 5 reasons why…
#5 First hurdle crossed
After finishing their first match with a draw against the defensively strong Icelanders, Argentina was schooled by Croatia in a match that truly displayed the class that the Croats possessed.
However, Nigeria stunned Iceland to give Argentina a ray of hope as a win against Africans would suffice for the Albiceleste to qualify for the second round. But it wasn’t as easy as Nigeria were a tough nut to crack.
While the African outfit were haphazard in their approach, they did manage to equalize after Messi gave Argentina the lead. They could have killed the game in the last quarter had it not been for a poor miss from Ighalo.
Argentina, meanwhile, pounced on their mistake and added to Nigeria’s woes as Marcos Rojo smashed a beautiful right-footed striker goal while playing as an emergency forward.
And now, Argentina are in the next round as they crossed their first hurdle of the World Cup – something many thought they wouldn’t be able to conquer.