Lionel Messi will celebrate his 23rd birthday during the World Cup, a reminder of how young the Argentinean is to be an established world star. The 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year will be one of the major attractions at this summer's finals, as it seems inconceivable that Messi will miss out as he did in 2006.
Coach Jose Pekerman handed Messi, who had struggled with injury in the run-up to the tournament, only one start in Germany. He still managed to become the youngest player to represent Argentina at a World Cup and the event's sixth youngest scorer. However, it was not a happy tournament for Messi who struggled to find his role in a team whose manager did not know his best line-up.
Argentina will arrive at the 2010 World Cup with in a similar quandary, as Diego Milito, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero all have excellent cases for inclusion. One thing is for sure, Messi will not be warming the bench as he was four years ago.
Inevitable comparisons with current manager Diego Maradona have been drawn - Messi possesses the same mesmeric dribbling ability, low centre of gravity and wand-like left foot. The protege would no doubt be happy to make half the impact Maradona did at Mexico 86.
The current Argentina vintage have more strength in depth, but their inconsistency makes them something of an outsider in the World Cup betting prices. Still, they will be fun to watch, not least due to the presence of Messi, who has all the attributes to be named winner of the Golden Ball.
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