The Hindu : Sport / Football : Copa America: Messi heads show

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Copa America: Messi heads show

Buenos Aires: For another stunning season at Barcelona even by his own exalted standards Lionel Messi undoubtedly deserves the epithet of best player in the world.

But ‘La Pulga' (the flea) has yet to transfer his scintillating club form to the international arena — witness his near anonymous showing in last year's World Cup quarterfinal humiliation by Germany.

Argentina coach Sergio Batista says he has a “Plan B” just in case Messi fails to spark at the Copa America starting on July 1 — but even in Latin America, flair is not the only ingredient required for a successful recipe.

Ironically, it took a Brazilian to say it in so many words — Joao Saldanha, predecessor of Mario Zagalo — handler of the great Pele-inspired 1970 ensemble — opining that “every team needs someone to carry the piano” — that is, to do all the donkey work.

That may be so — but fans of Brazil in particular demand that a healthy proportion of the squad can play it in approaching maestro fashion and Argentina supporters are no fans of a pedestrian version of the game.

Although Messi's Barcelona has arguably taken modern football to a new level with its unerring high-speed passing game his own tribulations in Argentina's sky blue and white mean pragmatism will underpin the tactics of the majority of Copa coaches. — AFP

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