With more than a week to go before the start of the World Cup, star Lionel Messi on Saturday called on the Argentines to be cautious about the title chances of Albiceleste, winner of the last Copa America and considered one of the favorite teams for the coronation in Qatar.
"We are going to fight for it (the title), but we are not guaranteed from the outset to be champions, as the Argentines think," the 35-year-old captain of the Argentine team told the Argentine sports newspaper. Ole.
“It is already a mistake to think of the round of 16, you have to think of the first match.
It's essential to start on the right foot and win all three (group stage) matches,” Messi stressed.
“We are going through bad times”
The seven-time Ballon d'Or is the leader of a selection made up of 26 players, including Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala, who are back after being injured.
“We are going through some bad times, but this group is prepared for the worst.
He was formed when we lost in the 2019 Copa America semi-final against Brazil.
From there, it generated what it generated,” the Paris Saint-Germain player continued, referring to the victory in the 2021 Copa America final, Argentina's 15th.
Two-time World Cup winners in the 20th century, Argentina will start their tournament against Saudi Arabia on November 22, before meeting Mexico on November 26 and Poland on November 29 in Group C.