A Particle of Boredom

Former playing great Mario Kempes says Argentina can’t rely solely on Lionel Messi if they want to win the World Cup. Messi led Barcelona to their second straight league title, and was the top goal scorer in both the Spanish League (34) and Europe (47). His sublime performances with the Catalan team have earned him numerous personal honours, including FIFA’s Player of the Year award.

It’s also brought the inevitable comparisons to Diego Maradona, one of the greatest players in the game. Maradona won the World Cup as a player in 1986 and led Argentina to the 1990 final. He now coaches the national team.

“Messi is a great player, the best in the world. But he can’t do it alone,” Kempes, who led the Albiceleste to the World Cup title in 1978 and was awarded the Golden Ball as best player of the tournament, said through a translator on Wednesday.

“That’s why normally, with a world champion, one player stands out but you need to be surrounded by a class of players.

“That’s what Maradona has to find,” added Kempes, who will be working for ESPN Deportes in South Africa. “The team, the unity of that group in order to guarantee Messi can play at the level he has in Europe.”

As for the comparisons with Maradona, Kempes was keen to play them down.

“No,” he said when asked if the comparisons are fair. “Maradona did what he had to do. Soccer’s totally changed.”

Despite his success at the club level, Messi has been criticised back home because he hasn’t shown the same flair – or had the same results – when playing for Argentina.

Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Germany four years ago, and they struggled to secure South America’s final automatic qualifying spot for South Africa. Argentina were humiliated by Bolivia in a 6-1 defeat during qualifying and also lost 3-1 at home to arch-rivals Brazil.

Not even Maradona, who took over 19 months ago despite no formal training as a coach, has been immune to criticism. Some have suggested Maradona should play Messi on the right side of a three-pronged attack, as he does at Barcelona.

So far, Messi has played a free role behind the two forwards for Argentina.

“Mixed. Good and bad,” Kempes said when asked to evaluate his former team-mate as a coach.

But Kempes said he sees signs of progress. Argentina have won all five of their friendlies this year, including a 2-1 win over 2006 semi-finalists Germany and a 5-0 rout of Canada on Monday.

Argentina are expected to advance from the group stage. In addition to Argentina and Nigeria, Group B includes Greece and South Korea.

“I feel much more comfortable and at ease because all of the (recent) games, they did play well. Not a lot of mistakes,” Kempes said. “Now he’ll have more time to work with the players, and we’re hoping he finds the team he’s looking for.

“It’s a very good group,” he added. “I hope the experience they have playing many years in Europe will show in the World Cup.” — AP