Messi, Argentina under pressure for Mexico game at World Cup

A chant has been doing rounds among Saudi Arabia supporters — and even some from Brazil — in fan parks and streets of Doha at World Cup .

“Where is Messi? We broke his eye!” y sing in Arabic, using a slang expression meaning to bring shame on a person.

Messi and his Argentina team are being mocked after a humbling 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia that has left ir presence at tournament in big — and completely unforeseen — danger.

Argentina needs to immediately bounce back against Mexico on Saturday, orwise an embarrassing early exit awaits.

“We always said we were going to look to win every game,” Messi said, “and now more than ever.”

A compatriot — indeed team’s former coach — could mastermind fatal blow to Argentina.

Gerardo Martino led his native Argentina from 2014-16, losing Copa America final in back-to-back years in that time before quitting.

Now Martino is Mexico’s coach and looking to guide team into last 16 — perhaps at expense of Argentina — and beyond. After all, Mexico has famously lost its first match of knockout stage in each of last seven World Cups, twice to Argentina, in 2006 and 2010.

This time, teams' meeting comes in group stage but it alrey has feel of a do-or-die occasion just seven days into tournament.

Especially for Argentina.

“I don’t think result y h (against Saudi Arabia) changes ir way of playing,” said Martino, whose team tied its opening Group C game with Poland 1-1.

With Argentina, something has to change, that’s for sure.

This is Lionel Scaloni’s first crisis as Argentina coach — he hn’t lost a game before Saudis’ rally at Lusail Stium on Tuesday — and it remains to be seen how he reacts. Will he give same players a chance to make amends? Or did he see enough b things in opening group game to necessitate some changes to his lineup?

Center back Cristian Romero, full backs Nahuel Molina and Nicolás Tagliafico, and midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes seem most at risk. Of course, Messi is going nowhere from starting lineup, even if he could be deployed differently.

“re is no or choice but to get up and move on,” Scaloni said. “We continue to think in same way. Before game (against Saudi Arabia), y me us favorites, but in a World Cup se things can happen. You have to work on aspects that didn’t go well.”

Mexico has never beaten Argentina in three attempts at World Cup, and Martino’s worst defeat as Mexico coach was at hands of his countrymen. That was in September 2019, when Lautaro Martínez scored a hat trick in a 4-0 win.

Argentina will take a win of any kind on Saturday back at Lusail Stium, where World Cup final will also be played on Dec. 18. It would be folly for eir team to be looking that far ahe.

Image: AP