Jorge Sampaoli alluded to it on Friday. “Having a player like Leo means you have to organise the team differently.”Lionel Messi is both Argentina’s greatest weapon and their biggest weakness. It’s the unpleasant truth, the elephant in the room.
It’s also why the greatest player of his generation – whisper that quietly in Madrid and Madeira – has never won a major international trophy and why, without significant improvement, that drought won’t be broken in Russia.
That’s not to say Messi underperformed in the 1-1 draw against Iceland, he was unquestionably Argentina’s best player despite again failing from the penalty spot – seemingly the only flaw in his arsenal, but his shadow hangs over the rest of the squad, inhibiting them, stifling their natural instincts. The Barcelona superstar started in an attacking three alongside Maxi Meza and Angel Di Maria and behind lone striker Sergio Aguero.