World Cup 2018: Argentina v Iceland predicted line-ups and preview – can Lionel Messi inspire side to win?
SunSport assesses Group D opener between Argentina and Iceland
ARGENTINA love to talk of neighbours Uruguay as “The Little Country” because its population is just three million - well under a tenth of their own.
So it shows the scale of just how tiny Iceland is that it has one-tenth as many inhabitants as there are Uruguayans.
The Managers
Jorge Sampaoli has had jobs in Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Spain - but his heart has always been in his Argentine homeland and he bubbles over with pride at being in charge of the national side.
Whether the feeling will be mutual if they fail to go all the way here is another story.
Haimar Halgrimsson has a sense of humour as dry as his tactics are pragmatic.
He opened yesterday’s press conference by sighing that “before anyone asks, yes I’m still a dentist”.
To be fair, sometimes watching his Iceland side is like having root canal treatment...but they sure are effective.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE All the latest action, news, goals and gossip from the World Cup
The Weakest Link
Iceland are huge. Argentina are not. Iceland hurl in long throws and play for set-pieces. Argentina would rather they didn’t.
As England can attest, if you don’t deal with the lump-and-chase mentality, you’re in big trouble.
Latest World Cup news
Star Men
Cardiff City ball-winner Aron Gunnarsson had a race against time to be fit after knee surgery just six week ago and the fact that he’s won it is a huge lift for Iceland, who rely on him as skipper and scrapper-in-chief.
Argentina have a lad called Messi who the grapevine suggests has a chance of making it.
Tsar In The Making/Watch out for
PSV Eindhoven midfielder Albert Gudmundsson in this Icelandic line-up. He turned 21 yesterday and is on the radar of a host of bigger clubs.
A boy with a swagger and ability to back it up.
Most Read In Sport
Teams:
Argentina (4-2-3-1): Caballero, Salvio, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico, Biglia, Mascherano, Meza, Messi, di Maria, Aguero.
Iceland (probable, 4-4-2): Halldorsson; Saevarsson, Arnason, R Sigurdsson, Magnusson; JB Gudmundsson, Gunnarsson, Hallfredsson, Bjarnason; G Sigurdsson, Bodvarsson.