Argentina looking good as Lionel Messi bids to bow out on a World Cup high

There are many reasons why World Cup fever hasn't overtaken us all just yet.

Autumn is in the air, many teams are playing club matches every few days and no key English player has broken a metatarsal.

However, despite a winter competition in the footballing hotbed of Qatar it is at least heartwarming to know some World Cup traditions remain in place, and Argentina are playing themselves on to the shortlist just in time for the tournament to start.

Available at 11-1 in mid-June, Argentina are now just 7-1 with only Brazil and France above them in the betting as they aim to lift a third World Cup following successes in 1978 and 1986.

Argentina have flattered to deceive more often than not in recent World Cup outings, going beyond the quarter-finals just once since reaching the final in 1990, and their record in the Copa America was even worse until a 28-year run without the title finally came to an end in 2021.

The key question for punters is whether that will prove the catalyst for a golden period or just another false dawn, of which there have been many as punters continually fall for the silky-skilled South Americans.

Argentina, managed by former West Ham defender Lionel Scaloni, are unbeaten in their last 35 matches, and have conceded just two goals in their last 14 matches. The frequently flaky Albiceleste have stumbled upon a robust rearguard consisting of hotheads Cristian Romero alongside Nicolas Otamendi.

It's a defensive platform which has been clearly lacking in recent tournaments but with that seemingly sorted, the foundations are in place to give 35-year-old Lionel Messi a last shot at lifting football's greatest prize in his final attempt. The maestro confirmed on Thursday this will be his last World Cup.

A year ago the idea of Messi being in the right shape to lead Argentina to success would have seemed laughable.

He was looking miserable at Paris St-Germain, having made the move from Barcelona, and finished last season with only six Ligue 1 goals. It was a far cry from the days of scoring 50 La Liga goals as he did in the 2011-12 season.

In fairness to Messi he did still accumulate 14 assists but he looks so much more like the old Messi with stunning goals in the past week, firstly a delightful free kick against Nice followed by another beauty against Benfica on Wednesday.

Messi and Argentina are peaking at the right time just when everyone else seems to think the World Cup is at the wrong time.

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