With Messi and ten others, what will Scaloni's XI be tonight? 🇦🇷🇩🇿 | OneFootball

Lionel Messi will start tonight in Argentina’s World Cup opener, leading a team that still has a couple of doubts in defense.

La Scaloneta gets its World Cup campaign underway. Tonight, from 10:00 PM (Buenos Aires time), Argentina will make its debut against Algeria. The big piece of news giving the whole country hope is that Lionel Messi will be in the starting lineup, leading the attack in search of the first three points.

Messi from the start, Julián as an option off the bench

Head coach Lionel Scaloni put fears to rest in the pre-match press conference. "Messi has always been fundamental, and now he will be even more so", the manager said, confirming that the captain is in optimal physical and football condition to take center stage from the opening whistle.

Another positive development for the coaching staff is the recovery of Julián Álvarez. "La Araña" has put behind him the issues that kept him out of the latest friendlies. "He’s fine, he’ll be another option", Scaloni noted, although everything suggests that the Córdoba-born forward will wait for his chance on the bench.

The doubts in defense

In the last few hours, key pieces in defense have been confirmed: Nahuel Molina has earned the spot at right-back and Facundo Medina will patrol the left flank. The only doubt still keeping the coaching staff on edge in central defense is whether Lisandro Martínez or Nicolás Otamendi will partner "Cuti" Romero.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 JUAN MABROMATA - AFP or licensors