World Cup 2018: Fixtures, kick

Argentina’s coach Jorge Sampaoli speaks to players during a training session of Argentina’s national football team at the FC Barcelona ‘Joan Gamper’ sports centre in Sant Joan Despi near Barcelona on June 2, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE

World Cup 2018: Fixtures, kick off time, group, coach and squad for Argentina

Can Messi finally win the trophy that’s evaded him so long?

World Cup 2018: Fixtures, kick

Argentina’s coach Jorge Sampaoli speaks to players during a training session of Argentina’s national football team at the FC Barcelona ‘Joan Gamper’ sports centre in Sant Joan Despi near Barcelona on June 2, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE

Four years after narrowly missing out on football’s grandest prize, Argentina superstar Lionel Messi returns for what is likely his last shot at lifting the World Cup.

A turbulent qualifying campaign was rescued by a Messi hat-trick in the thin air of Quito, but there is little margin for error in a challenging group featuring Croatia, Nigeria and tournament debutants Iceland.

Despite an array of world-class talent up front, only Bolivia scored fewer goals than Argentina in South American qualifying and the importance of Messi cannot be overstated.

Jorge Sampaoli’s men won just once in eight qualifiers without him and lost to both Nigeria (4-2) and Spain (6-1) in pre-tournament friendlies with the Barcelona forward sidelined.

Facts about Argentina (Group D)

Honours: World Cup winners 1978, 1986; 14 times winners of Copa America; Confederations Cup winners 1992; Olympic Gold 2004, 2008

Past World Cup performance: 17th participation

Best result: Winners 1978, 1986

FIFA ranking: 5th

Main clubs: Boca Juniors, River Plate

Nickname: Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue)

How they qualified: Finished third in CONMEBOL qualifying

Coach: Jorge Sampaoli 

Jorge Sampaoli has been in one of the most high-pressure jobs in football for just over a year having taken over in May 2017.  The  58-year old did not have much of a playing career being forced to retire from the sport after an injury to his tibia and fibula when he was just 19.

He does, however, have a long-spanning managerial career. In that job, his most recent success came when he guided Chile to the Copa America in 2015.

Argentina World Cup squad

Nahuel Guzmán, Willy Caballero, Franco Armani; Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi, Federico Fazio, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Rojo, Marcos Acuna, Cristian Ansaldi, Eduardo Salvio; Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria, Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Manuel Lanzini, Gio Lo Celso, Maximiliano Meza; Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala, Cristian Pavon.

Fixtures and kick-off times

All times SAST.

Saturday, 16 June, 15:00: Argentina vs Iceland
Thursday, 21 June, 20:00: Argentina vs Croatia
Tuesday, 26 June, 20:00: Nigeria vs Argentina