Will he end the curse? Messi steps up, scores and 🇦🇷 stay top | OneFootball

The reigning world champion will have the mission of defending its 2022 title starting on the 16th, when it faces Algeria in Kansas City. 

But to succeed at this year’s FIFA World Cup, Argentina will need to defy the FIFA Ranking “curse.”

Tuesday’s (9) 3-0 win over Iceland confirmed that the Albiceleste will begin the World Cup at the top of that ranking.

Which is not a good omen.

NEVER has the team that started the World Cup leading the governing body’s ranking — which has existed since 1993 — gone on to lift football’s most famous trophy.

Special mention goes to the Brazilian national team’s four “attempts.” Check out the history below:

1994 - 🇩🇪 Germany top-ranked - 🇧🇷 Brazil champions

1998 - 🇧🇷 Brazil top-ranked - 🇫🇷 France champions

2002 - 🇫🇷 France top-ranked - 🇧🇷 Brazil champions

2006 - 🇧🇷 Brazil top-ranked - 🇮🇹 Italy champions

2010 - 🇧🇷 Brazil top-ranked - 🇪🇸 Spain champions

2014 - 🇪🇸 Spain top-ranked - 🇩🇪 Germany champions

2018 - 🇩🇪 Germany top-ranked - 🇫🇷 France champions

2022 - 🇧🇷 Brazil top-ranked - 🇦🇷 Argentina champions 

France (2002), Spain (2014) and Germany (2018) were the biggest disappointments, as they were eliminated in the group stage.

Absent from the 1990 and 1994 editions and eliminated without a win at Euro 92, France was only 18th when it won its first World Cup. 

Italy, meanwhile, was in 13th place when it surprised everyone in 2006.

📊 How important is the Ranking?

The top two teams from each of the 12 groups will qualify for the pre-round of 16, along with the eight best third-placed teams.

And FIFA Ranking position is among the tiebreak criteria used to define those eight teams.

The order announced by FIFA is: 1) head-to-head; 2) better goal difference, 3) more goals scored; 4) fewer red and yellow cards; 5) better position in the FIFA Ranking.

Brazil are currently in sixth place. Right ahead of their first opponent at the World Cup. 

Scaloni rested players and ran tests

Unable to count on Dibu Martínez — recovering from a hand fracture — and with the specialist full-backs far from ideal, Scaloni went with Giay at RB and Medina at LB.

The Palmeiras full-back is on the list of 55 names and had already faced Honduras. He is hoping to take the spot of the already cut Balerdi or even one of the full-backs.

Several starters were rested. That guaranteed, for example, Flaco López a place in the starting XI.

Argentina started with: Rulli; Giay, Otamendi, Lisandro Martínez and Medina; Exequiel Palacios and Barco; Nico Paz, Lo Celso, Giovanni Simeone and Flaco.

And they went into halftime ahead thanks to Barcos, who pounced on a loose ball and beat Olafsson (8').

Romero, Lautaro Martínez, De Paul, Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández were the first to come on at the start of the second half. 

Argentina nearly extended the lead after a passing move ended with Lautaro hitting the post.

He came off the bench to DECIDE 🔥

Then came Messi, brought on in the 70th minute. Right after his first touch, he put Lautaro through brilliantly, but the Inter Milan striker wasted the chance before winning a penalty.

It was up to Messi to score his 117th goal in 199 games for Argentina in the 72nd minute.

The No. 10 made the difference again in the 87th minute in a move that ended with Almada scoring. 

In just over 20 minutes, he showed that he has recovered well from the muscle fatigue. 

Argentina will make its debut next Tuesday (16), when it faces Algeria. Austria and Jordan complete Group J.

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

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