Coach Graham Arnold wants his Socceroos to get in the face of Lionel Messi, but not dwell on the Argentinian ace for too long.
The masterful Messi looms large for the unheralded Australians in their knockout battle with Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar on Saturday night (0600 AEDT Sunday).
“The thing is, if you focus too much on Messi, then you’re forgetting about the other players,” Arnold told reporters.
“And if you watched the game, I think Poland focused too much on Messi.
“Whoever is playing, pick him up. It can’t be just one, it can be five (players). But it’s not just about stopping him. They have got some very good players.”
The Socceroos enter the fixture at Doha’s Ahmad bin Ali Stadium as rank outsiders to halt Messi’s bid to capture an elusive World Cup.
(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The Australians are into the round of 16 for just the second time, following the 2006 Socceroos who fell to Italy 1-0 after a contentious stoppage time penalty.
Under Arnold, the Aussies have won two games at a World Cup finals for the first time; ditto for two consecutive clean sheets.
And Arnold said his advancing Australians were getting greedy. “We want more,” he said.
“This is a dream come true, playing against Lionel Messi in a World Cup. I don’t think anyone expected us to even win a game. And then to win two in one World Cup, it’s amazing.
“But as I said to the boys, you don’t get these opportunities often in life. So what are you going to do about it? Are you just going to let it ride? Or are you going to do something more and special. It’s the Aussie DNA: keep going.”
Arnold was blunt when asked just how Australia, ranked 38th in the world, could upset the world No.3 Argentinians.
“Get in their faces. Don’t give them time,” he said. “Stopping their main players from getting on the ball is going to be crucial.”
Which leads Arnold back to Messi, the 35-year-old who has won world football’s most prestigious individual award, the Ballon d’Or, a record seven times.
Arnold himself crossed paths on-field with another acclaimed Argentinian legend, Diego Maradona, during their playing days.
Who’s best, Messi or Maradona? “Ahh, mate,” Arnold said. “Let’s just say both. It’s just so crazy how similar they are, left footers and the same style of players, and they’re both incredible players.
“To compare different generations is all too hard … they go down as two of the greatest players ever in my lifetime.”
Meanwhile, Arnold is demanding honesty from his Socceroos: Who is knackered? Who’s sore? Who can go again?
“I have got to see … which ones are stiff or have knocks and can’t recover,” said the coach.
“It’s going to be an honesty conversation from myself to the players. I know every one of those players want to start.
“But it’s not about them. It’s about the team and the nation. They’ve got to be honest back.
“I sit down pretty much always with the individual to see how he is personally and if there is a player that says, ‘look, I feel like I can’t start,’ they have got to be honest. Let us make those changes and they may come on for the last half-hour. Instead of starting you can come on and finish a game for us and run it out.”
The Socceroos will play a fourth game in 12 days in the Doha heat, striving to become the first Australian team to advance to the quarter-finals at a World Cup and they meet the might of Argentina with just two days rest after their last game, the same as Lionel Messi’s team.
“A quick turnaround is good because we are straight-bang straight back into it which is fantastic,” Arnold said. “That is the way it is. It’s not just for one team, it’s for all teams. So let’s not use that as an excuse.”
Free flowing FC
Roar Rookie
Wasted a lot of opportunity $ and development with the foreign managers..(Guss exempt) Think Frank Arok 4-1 v Argentina 88 Ange. Champions of Asia. Arnold…the adventure is yet to end..
Free flowing FC
Roar Rookie
Can we snatch another 1-0 for the trifecta I wonder…Souttar from a set piece…;Argentinan defence aren’t that tall Or perhaps a Riley Mgree wonder goal! Maybe Kuol is the hero. Not long now…
Simoc
Roar Rookie
We've done great but look at Japan. Beat Germany who have fantastic players, didn't turn up vs Costa Rica, then beat Spain. They play great under pressure. They run straight at the defence with huge intent, luckily they have the players to do it. We play to our teams capabilities. It won't be enough to win the Cup but it is hugely impressive when compared to expectations for this team. They've done us proud. One more win wouldn't go astray either!
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
can't buy this exposure
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Haven't counted, but I'd think the Premier League has more players in Qatar than any other league, by some.
Albert Namat
Guest
'It's not so much what you believe, but how hard you believe it.' Indiana Jones. We're proud of you lads. Go and shock the world.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Our PM has so much confidence we're all earning a National holiday .
Ad-O
Guest
Totally fine with that
Sports
Guest
I go like Graham Arnold’s belief in the team. Let’s hope we can conjure something up.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Love this straight talking & plain speaking from Arnold, so much better than the stuff we got from the European coaches we've had. Poor guy, it's probably taken 10 years off his life. Thanks Mate.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Yeah, let them suffer for another decade at least, it's good for the sport that the country with the premier league competition in the world can't win a WC.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I got accused of being Anglo-Saxon without mentioning anything at all about being white. And this despite me having Afghani and Indian in me 5 or 6 generations back. I think the accuser was suffering from lock-jaw as he was fighting something not said. -------- I think you're right about England but it's 20th C bravery was only against it's kin. It's a well known fact that England is just proof that Germans know how to build boats .... as well
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
they gloat when they win, and beat themselves up when they lose, nothing in between. Wales and Scotland are worse than us when they compete against England.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
I have always had a soft spot for England. Love its sport history and contribution to world sport. And, yes, despite its colonial history, love its contribution to democracy and its 20th century bravery. In fact, dare I say it, England is my pick as the great nation in terms of history.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I never want to England to win. Not even the meat tray
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Exciting day as we build up to match against Argentina. How incredible it would be if we beat the Argentinians after they beat us at rugby union. The beauty of world sport.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
really love the atmosphere they build, it's addictive. I was there when their women won the Euros at home earlier this year, really something.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
liked bacchus the other day
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
would like to see England win, assuming Aussies cannot. Hopefully England can play with flair and win the cup again. Will have a small bet on Aussies.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
$14 on Sportsbet, they're still $201 to win outright, Argentina $5.50 I'm going to England next week, the ultimate final would be us-them, but that won't be.