World Cup Desk- Argentina will kick off their tournament campaign against Algeria on Wednesday morning (June 17). Ahead of the highly anticipated clash, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni opened up about the team’s current state and mindset.
Downplaying the intense pressure of the opening game, Scaloni said:
“It’s just a football match. We have the experience from the previous World Cup. The first match is fundamentally important, but it isn’t completely decisive. While it matters a lot, everything doesn’t just end with the first game.”
The Argentine tactician also provided a massive fitness update, easing fans’ anxieties. Despite recent injury concerns, Scaloni confirmed that superstars Lionel Messi, Emiliano Martinez, and Julian Alvarez are all fully fit and ready to feature for La Albiceleste.
Messi had been managing a minor hamstring issue, Alvarez was nursing an ankle injury, and goalkeeper Martinez was dealing with a hairline fracture in his ring finger. However, all three are expected to find their places in the starting eleven against Algeria.
Predicted Starting XIs
Argentina Predicted Lineup:
Emiliano Martinez (GK), Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, Thiago Almada.
Algeria Predicted Lineup:
Luca Zidane (GK), Rafik Belghali, Aissa Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Nabil Bentaleb, Houssem Aouar, Riyad Mahrez, Ibrahim Maza, Mohamed Amoura, Amine Gouiri.