World Cup 2010 Preview: Argentina Vs. Nigeria

Argentina arrive at the FIFA World Cup 2010 as one of the outside favorites to win it, solely based on the wealth of talent at their disposal. And with 6 world-class strikers in their midst, it seems highly unlikely that they will submit tamely to the Nigerian squad. Still, stranger things have happened during the World Cup qualifiers and teams ranked lower than Nigeria have sprung up a surprise on the pretentious and unpredictable Diego Maradona, the Argentine coach for the World Cup 2010.

But one looks at the Argentina squad assembled by Maradona and one gets the feeling that despite using over 100 players over his tenure, the 23 he has taken to the FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa are a potent mix of youth and experience, of levelheadedness and boisterous spark.

The midfield will be anchored by captain Javier Mascherano of Liverpool, and alongside him will be the much experienced and much traveled Juan Sebastian Veron. Veron has been an exceptionally calming influence on a team which has struggled in the past couple of World Cups due to infighting, one of which involved himself being branded as a traitor. And with Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi, Diego Milito, Carlos Tevez and Martin Palermo as his options for the strikers' role, it remains to be seen just who el Diego chooses to start.

And while Maradona over the course of the World Cup 2010 may well harbor the dreams of becoming one of the elite fellows who have won the World Cup both as a player and a coach, in his way stand the Nigerian side, who have historically been one of the most successful African sides in the World Cup. And given that the Nigerians will most certainly have the 'home' support in this one, no doubt they will be eager to impress in the first World Cup to be held on this continent. And the home support aside, the Nigerian squad is nothing to be sniffed at, and they boast amongst their ranks experienced players as Obafemi Martins, Nwankwo Kanu, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Joseph Yobo and Dickson Etuhu.

So what will be the outcome of this match? Well given that they seem to be the favorites to qualify out of the group that contains relative minnows in South Korea and Euro 2004 champions Greece, it may happen that they both approach the game with caution. While a 1-1 draw looks likely, you can't put it past Diego Maradona to gamble on it a bit and send in the squad in some unusual 3-4-3 formation and go for the win.

My Argentina vs. Nigeria prediction: 1-1

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