Ronaldo and Messi to miss the World Cup?

 
Mike Tuckerman Columnist

By , 8 Sep 2009 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert

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Portugal's Christiano Ronaldo reacts after the drawn World Cup group 1 qualifying soccer match against Denmark at Parken in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday Sept. 5, 2009. Portugal badly needed a victory in Copenhagen to have a realistic chance of qualifying for next year's World Cup in South Africa. The Portuguese team has won just two of its six qualifying matches and drew another.(AP Photo/Tariq Mikkel Khan/POLFOTO)

Portugal's Christiano Ronaldo reacts after the drawn World Cup group 1 qualifying soccer match against Denmark at Parken in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday Sept. 5, 2009. Portugal badly needed a victory in Copenhagen to have a realistic chance of qualifying for next year's World Cup in South Africa. The Portuguese team has won just two of its six qualifying matches and drew another.(AP Photo/Tariq Mikkel Khan/POLFOTO)

The unedifying sight of a gaunt Diego Maradona trudging from the Rosario pitch should serve as a warning. A silly, sentimental choice as coach, Maradona had just overseen his team’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Brazil.

It was Argentina’s first loss at home in World Cup qualifying since the Albiceleste were thrashed 5-0 by Colombia in Buenos Aires in 1993.

Meanwhile in European qualifying, a packed Parken Stadion in Copenhagen watched enthralled as Denmark and Portugal played out an absorbing 1-1 draw.

The point leaves Portugal hanging by a thread – with Cristiano Ronaldo and co. now seven points adrift of the group-leading Danes with three games to go.

Things would have been worse had Portugese debutant Liedson not beaten a stubborn Stephan Anderson with three minutes remaining.

The plight of two of the world’s best players goes some way to proving an age-old adage: it’s a team game after all.

Try telling that to Maradona, who has built his squad around the cult of Messi and players of his similarly short-framed ilk.

Sergio “Kun” Agüero is undoubtedly a fabulous player.

But the fact that he is consistently named over free-scoring Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuaín appears to have more to do with his resemblance to Maradona than his goalscoring ability.

When Argentina’s vertically-challenged front line of Messi and Carlos Tevez were being monstered by the powerful Brazilian defence, Maradona predictably had no Plan B.

It didn’t help that Maradona managed to alienate mercurial playmaker Juan Román Riquelme almost as soon as he took charge of the national team.

Riquelme’s international retirement has robbed Argentina of arguably their most influential creative presence – Messi notwithstanding.

Meanwhile Cristiano Ronaldo has never really hit the heights with Portugal that he once did for Manchester United.

Maybe it’s not being surrounded by the sort of players he graced the turf with at Old Trafford – although you’d think the likes of Ricardo Carvalho, Deco and current Real Madrid team-mate Pepe are pretty handy personnel.

Or perhaps it’s the constant pressure of trying to go one step further than former Portugese talisman Luís Figo, who despite all his talent, never won silverware with the national team.

Whatever it is, Ronaldo has never stamped his authority on international football the way he once did in the Premier League.

And now fans in South Africa are in danger of missing out on watching two of world football’s greatest stars strut their stuff.

It’s a sobering reminder that football is a game contested by eleven players each.

Indeed, the contrast with Dunga’s workmen-like Brazil is stark.

Like Maradona, Dunga has fashioned his Seleção much in his own image, with Brazil relying on the hard graft of players like Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo as much as they do on the individual talents of Kaká and Robinho.

So it’s ironic that Dunga’s job now seems secure given the original howls of protest over his team’s artisanal style of football.

The same cannot be said for Maradona, whose appointment as Argentina coach is looking more like the unqualified disaster that many predicted.

Even if the legendary former midfielder manages to steer his team into the finals, it remains to be seen whether the Argentine Football Association keeps the faith with Maradona all the way to South Africa.

The likes of Argentina and Portugal are always going to be dark horses to win any World Cup tournament – provided they get there.

But with teams like Brazil, Germany and even – dare I say it – Korea Republic building much of their success on team work, both Ronaldo and Messi will need to conjure some personal brilliance to drag their respective sides over the line.

Otherwise the World Cup could be shorn of the sight of two of the world game’s most recognisable players – hardly the festival of football that FIFA are hoping for.

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