If you take five time Balon d'Or winner Lionel Messi out of the equation, how would Argentina perform at the upcoming World Cup?
Jorge Sampaoli's side are currently 10/1 to win the competition this summer, but without the little magician, they would arguably struggle against the likes of Croatia in Group D.
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In October last year, the Barcelona forward bagged a hat-trick against Ecuador in World Cup qualifying, not to mention the countless other goals he's netted to save his country in World Cup qualifying.
Time and time again, the little magician produces the goods on the biggest stage and a stat emerged earlier that puts his importance into perspective.
The last time someone other than Lionel Messi scored in an official game for Argentina was almost 19 months (12 official matches), which is 572 days ago.
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Unsurprisingly, the last player to score a goal other than Messi were assisted by than man, Messi.
If you were on the fence as to whether Messi is as influential for Argentina, then this stat alone will surely change your opinion on the 30-year-old.
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The five time Balon d'Or winner competed with the likes of Mohamed Salah for goals scored this season, while challenging the likes of Kevin de Bruyne for assists.
Not to mention the fact he was on par with Neymar in terms of dribbles.
To sum up his dominance, Messi became the first player in history to score 30+ goals in seven different La Liga seasons when he bagged another hat-trick against Deportivo.
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Ernesto Valverde's side secured another La Liga title this season and surprise surprise, that man Messi was the driving force behind another dominant league campaign.
Do you think he deserves the Balon d'Ot trophy this time around?
Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, Football, Lionel Messi, Argentina, World Cup
