Tim Vickery

The place where the continuity is a problem is defence.

It's the same defensive unit.

And that's not really by choice.

That's because no one has come through.

Scaloni's had a look at a few defenders and he hasn't been convinced by any of them.

And if you remember the number of times that defensive unit collapsed under pressure in Qatar,

you think this World Cup with an extra knockout round, there's a day when this is going to go wrong.

And history tells us it's very difficult, if not impossible, to do what Argentina are trying to do.

Italy retained the World Cup in France in 38.

Brazil retained the World Cup in Chile in 62.

No one's ever retained it outside your own home continent.

So history tells us this is a tough ask.

Although I think in Argentina, maybe there's less melodrama about this one.

than there has been about previous times when they were champions.

And because this team has been so victorious, arguably the most successful Argentina side in history.

I think that there's probably more of an expectation.

There's more of an acceptance if they don't win this time around.

It won't quite be seen as a tragedy by so many, I think.

It's, all right, this is a farewell to Messi.

And as long as they manage to leave the scene with dignity, I think a lot of people in Argentina won't be too disappointed by that.