World Cup 2014 Preview – Argentina

Anyone who keeps up with soccer knows why Argentina will be a prominent force this World Cup... Lionel Messi: the best soccer player on the planet.

Although he is just coming back from a pretty significant injury, Messi is still the same Messi that he has always been. No single player on the pitch can stop him with the ball at his feet, and he's absolutely dangerous inside the 18 yd. box. Whether he drops back into the midfield or stays up top as a pure attacker, figuring out a way to keep the ball away from him is a strategy that is much easier said than done. Argentina's success directly correlates to how well Messi plays.

With that being said, Messi isn't the only player on this Argentine squad with any amount of talent. Carlos Tevez is an absolute brute up front and has a knack for putting the ball in the old onion bag. Javier Mascherano is one of the top defenders in European club soccer, playing along side Messi at Barcelona. Mascherano has the ability to step up and play as a defensive midfielder, putting more pressure on some of the strikers from Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Nigeria.

Argentina is currently ranked #3 in FIFA's World Rankings, and no one in Group F has any legitimate shot at taking down the Argentines. My prediction is that they will finish first in the group, and they may not lose a single match until the knockout stage.