Barça's World Cup: Argentina (II)

After a difficult qualification stage Diego Maradona's Argentina head to the World Cup Finals with doubts surrounding them, but they will have the best player in the world in Lionel Messi to drive them on.

"I see Argentina as one of the candidates to win the cup despiet nobody having us down as favourites," Messi told reporters as the build-up to the tournament continued.

Messi ready to shine

The Albiceleste side revolves around the FC Barcelona star and there has been clear proof of how important he is in the fact that Maradona changed his tactics in training recently to a classic 4-4-2 to allow Messi to play in a free role.

Expectations are high that the Blaugrana forward will shine on the biggest stage of all and he believes that playing for Barça will help him wirthstand the pressure that will be placed on him in South Africa. "I will try to do for Argentina what I do for Barcelona," he stated. Alongside Messi are a littany of outstanding stars with Gonzalo Higuaín, Diego Milito, Carlos Tévez, Martin Palermo and Sergio Agüero.

Group B

After winning the World Cup in 1978 Argentina regained the trophy in 1986 when Maradona was the star and they will be looking to end a run of 24 years without being crowned as the best. Before they can think about that though they must edge out Nigeria, South Korea and Greece in the group stage.

If Argentina fulfill their billing as favourites to win the group then they are likely to meet either Thierry Henry's France or a Mexico team containing rafael Márquez and Jonathan Dos Santos.

Preparation in Buenos Aires

Argentina travelled to South Africa on Friday after spending a few days preparing in Buenos Aires, where they also defeated Canada 5-0 in a friendly. Messi did not play due to a muscle strain as Maradona was keen to rest him.

Barça’s World Cup: Spain (I)

The eight FC Barcelona players in the Spanish national side will start their campaign on June 16 in Durban against Switzerland. Spain are the top seeds in Group H, and will also face Chile and Honduras.

Though they have never won the trophy before, Spain are one of the hot favourites for glory in South Africa. They were outstanding at Euro 2008 and Del Bosque’s side also powered their way though the qualifying stages for this tournament. The squad of 23 includes no fewer than eight members of the all-conquering Barça team.

Group stages

Neither Valdés nor Pedro have ever made an official appearance for the national team, and will get their first chance against the Swiss in the first match in the group. Spain then switch to Johannesburg, where Honduras await on June 21, and they close the group against another Latin American nation, Chile, in Pretoria on June 25.

FCB’s Sergio Busquets and Gerard Piqué have played for Spain before, but never in a major tournament.

History

Spain have played all three of its group rivals in previous World Cups. They met the Alpine nation in 1968 and 1994, and won both times.

Spain faced Honduras on the only previous occasion that the Central American nation has made it to the final stages. That was in 1982, in Valencia, when despite home advantage, Spain were held to a shock 1-1 draw in their opening match.

It is some time since Spain and Chile last met at a World Cup. That was way back in 1950, when Spain won 2-0.

Possible future rivals
If Spain qualify, they are unlikely to get an easy match in the next round, Some are calling Group G the Group of Death, for it includes Brazil, Portugal, the Ivory Coast and North Korea. Spain will be playing one of the qualifiers from that group in the last sixteen, which looks like being a tough test.