Magical Messi can't do everything by himself

Manager Jorge Sampaoli

Before the 2002 World Cup Brazil had a shocking Conmebol campaign and were outside the qualification spots before squeezing in by three points - all that was forgotten as they became champions.

It's not how you qualify but what you do once you're in the finals and Argentina will be clinging to that thinking following what was a woeful attempt at make it to Russia before Lionel Messi's sensational hat-trick on the final matchday in Ecuador saved Jorge Sampaoli's side.

Messi was the only Argentinian to score in the final six rounds of qualifying and apart from their seven-goal superstar nobody managed to bag more than twice despite the talents of Gonzalo Higuain, Mauro Icardi, Sergio Aguero and Paulo Dybala.

The Messi-Aguero forward line could be sensational but it's hard to have much confidence in other areas of the team.

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