Diego Maradona's brilliance on the field helped Argentina to its last World Cup title. Winning another as coach would only add to his legacy, and the play of Lionel Messi could be the biggest key in him achieving that goal in South Africa.
The two superstars look to help Argentina get off to a strong start when it meets Nigeria on Saturday in Johannesburg.
Maradona led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title and was named the best player of the tournament. Four years later, he helped the team to a runner-up finish, but Argentina hasn't advanced beyond the quarterfinals since, losing to host Germany on penalties at that stage in 2006.
Maradona is now on the sidelines for La Albiceleste and Messi's playmaking ability is drawing comparisons to his coach.
"Messi is the best in the world and if he has the ball we have more possibilities," Maradona said. "Thank God he's an Argentine. We are hungry for glory. I see it similar to '86. Besides, Messi arrives better than I was."
Messi, the 2009 World Player of the Year, was the Spanish league's top scorer with 34 goals and led Europe with 47 as Barcelona won a second consecutive La Liga title. However, the forward's play for the national team has come under scrutiny. He has 13 goals in 44 games and Argentina hasn't won a senior national team tournament since the 1993 Copa America.
"The criticism on how I play doesn't hurt," said Messi, who led the Under-23 side to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. "I won't change. I'll keep playing in the same way. I hope to be able to do what I do (in Barcelona) in the national team without my form suffering, because that (way of playing) is what has made me able to achieve everything I have (up until now)."
He's not comfortable with being compared to Maradona, either.
"It bothers me for him more than it does for me," Messi said. "Let's hope we can do things well and that we can become champions with Argentina and lift the cup."
Messi will start behind forwards Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain, who scored 29 goals each for Manchester City and Real Madrid, respectively.
Despite the array of offensive talent, Argentina reached its 10th consecutive World Cup with a 1-0 win at Uruguay in its final qualifier.
Nigeria needed heroics and help on the final day of qualifying to return to the tournament after missing out in 2006. Obafemi Martins scored with 9 minutes left to secure a 3-2 win over Kenya, while Tunisia gave up a goal in the 83rd minute to fall 1-0 at Mozambique.
Martins will likely be the Super Eagles' top offensive threat combining speed and creativity on the ball. The forward has 17 goals in 32 games for Nigeria but managed six goals for Wolfsburg in Germany's Bundesliga this season.
Argentina has won both World Cup meetings with Nigeria, most recently in 2002.
