1986 was the year Argentina last won the FIFA World Cup trophy inspired by the famous Diego Maradona's ‘hand of God’ goal in the run-up to the finals of that tournament. That win made it two in their world cup cabinet having won also the 1978 edition. In the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup, Argentina fought it all the way to the finals but were defeated by eventual winners Germany who scored a winning goal in the dying minutes of extra time as coaches of both teams were preparing for a penalty shoot-out. In what may very well prove to be Lionel Messi's World Cup swansong, the script for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner to propel his nation to the big one has already been written, and there is every reason to believe that this year could be Argentina's year.

Argentina made their trip to Qatar with the Copa America trophy already in their cabinet and also additionally, they bagged the Finalissima trophy after defeating Euro 2020 champions Italy. Ending the 36-year World Cup dry spell is the next agenda on their list whose luminary Messi had not even been born when they last went all the way in the World Cup. Argentina have been on a 36 games unbeaten run their last defeat coming back in 2019 when they lost 2-0 to Brazil in the Copa America. They, therefore, qualified for the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup without losing a single game. Pressure is high on Lionel Messi who more than three-quarters of the world expects to win the world cup trophy for Argentina to match the likes of other greats before him such as Diego Maradona of Argentina, Pele of Brazil, and Ronaldinho & Ronaldo of Brazil. Being eliminated from the last 16 by eventual champions France with only one win to their name in the entire tournament was a bitter disappointment for Argentina in 2018. 

Saudi Arabia held the honour of opening the 2018 World Cup against host nation Russia, but that 5-0 defeat was a forgettable affair for the Arabian Falcons, who will likely be fearing a similar fate versus a rampant Argentina on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia were unsurprisingly the victims of a group-stage exit four years ago and are fighting an uphill battle to avoid suffering the same result this time around, with Mexico and Poland also taking their places in a daunting Group C. A last-16 finish in 1994 represents Saudi Arabia's sole progression beyond the group stage of the World Cup so far.

In the build-up to the World Cup, the 51st-ranked nation on FIFA listings drew 1-1 with Panama and lost 1-0 to Croatia. They at least possess the benefit of playing in such sweltering conditions on a regular basis given that they are a Middle East region nation. Argentina and Saudi Arabia have never met at the finals of a World Cup before, but Argentina boasts of two draws and two wins from their previous four clashes with the Asian country. They most recently met in 2012 in a friendly where the match ended in a 2-2 draw. Argentina are expected to win this clash with a big goal difference margin.

 (Image: Khel Now)