Diego Simeone Explains Nigeria Would Have Already Qualified Before Facing Argentina

Published: January 03, 2018

One of the most respected coaches in the world and an Argentina World Cup star, Diego Simeone, has picked Croatia as the South Americans toughest opponents in Group D of the 2018 World Cup.

On paper, Simeone argued that the Super Eagles would have accumulated at least four points before they face off with Argentina, which makes their final match of the group a must win fixture.

''The danger in the area is how the games are played, I do not like the order of the matches. Because it happened to us, it happened to us in Japan,'' Simeone told Argentine newspaper La Nacion

''Nigeria was the weakest and the first, Sweden was better and in the middle was England, the most powerful. The same as now. Iceland, in theory, all imagine that it will be the easiest rival. If Croatia and Nigeria draw their first game, then a win against Croatia in the second game is mandatory. I explain?

''What happened to us in Japan: we won the opener against Nigeria. But England and Sweden tied. Everyone was happy, but then Sweden beat Nigeria and we were going to the field to play against England and we knew that we could not lose that game. And it happened. Now, of course, if you win the first two games, it will be much easier and none of these accounts will make sense.

''But it is clear that Croatia will be the toughest opponent and that they are in the middle I do not like. You can get to play on the last date against Nigeria, the two with four points or even them with four and we with three, and we know that between the two always the obligation will be Argentina.

''It can go wrong, we already know it. But I explain further: if Nigeria beat Croatia and we beat Iceland; then the second group match with Croatia is dicey because for them it is key, and Nigeria would beat Iceland to add six points.''

Nigeria and Argentina will face off for the fifth time in a group game at the World Cup on June 26, 2018 at Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg.

Igho Kingsley