Home/Soccer

via Reuters

via Reuters

World Cup fever has gripped the domain of football this year. The prestigious competition is going to be held in Qatar in December, and every single football fan is excited. Who wouldn’t be? This could be the last World Cup with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in it.

Messi will be 35 by the time the World Cup rolls around, and he’ll be 39 before the next edition of the competition. Given his high standards, no one will be surprised if the Argentinian forward will play on till he’s 40, but he has retired from international football before, and that raises a lot of doubts.

As a result, there is a lot of pressure on the Argentinian national team to deliver this year. It will be compounded after Argentina’s loss in the final of the 2014 World Cup, as the entire team would want to win it for Lionel Messi.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Javier Mascherano likes what he sees with this Argentina team

Lionel Messi’s former teammate for club and country, Javier Mascherano, is optimistic about Argentina’s chances in this edition of the World Cup. In an interview with FIFA, the former UCL winner talked about the current national team squad and their style of football.

Mascherano revealed that the current squad is united and plays their football with joy.

You see a very united group. They do it with joy. They also transmit it on the field, and on top of that the team is in a good moment, they have won, and it generates something in the end. I think in the end, that’s what it is, the good energy they spread,” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The fans are behind Lionel Messi and Argentina

Mascherano also spoke about the fans and that the Argentinian people support their team with all their hearts. Argentina’s triumph in the Copa America 2021 would also give them a lot of confidence for the World Cup.

The team ends up representing what the people want. I think that the goal of any team, beyond winning, is to transmit something to the fans,” he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Do you think Argentina will lift the World Cup this year?

Read More: Former Real Madrid Superstar Kaka Reveals He Was Snubbed From the Brazil Squad for the 2014 World Cup