Argentina Squad Report: All eyes on Messi and Robben with a place in the final on the line

They're the two best players on either team, and they're getting all of the attention heading into today's semifinal clash.

Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben will each look to lead their squad into the World Cup final today in Sao Paulo, and in the process take one step closer to being immortalized in football lore.

"Robben is a great player. He is very important for Holland. Like Neymar is for Brazil and Messi for Argentina," Alejandro Sabella said. "Each of them is important for their teams but Messi is the best of them all."

That distinction is key.

The Argentine captain, who has won everything the sport has to offer except for this most legendary trophy, is under particular pressure to deliver a victory. Argentina has not won a major tournament since capturing the 1993 Copa America title. They have not reached a final of a World Cup since 1990, and have not won the tournament since 1986.

And then there is the cloud cast by Diego Maradona, which will (unfortunately) always hang over him until he leads the Albiceleste to glory on this stage.

All of that considered, he seems to be dealing with the enormity of the situation quite well:

I am feeling positive pressure. It's a great honour to be captain of Argentina. I want to pay back the trust given in me leading Argentina to the World Cup.

As a player winning a World Cup is the best there is. It's something you dream about when you are a kid and it never disappears.

Messi has a chance tonight to take one massive step towards fulfilling that dream.

Fixtures/Results

Group F — June 15 — Argentina 2, Bosnia-Herzegovina 1

Group F — June 21 — Argentina 1, Iran 0

Group F — June 25 — Argentina 3, Nigeria 2

Round of 16 — July 1 — Argentina 1, Switzerland 0 (AET)

Quarterfinal — July 5 — Argentina 1, Belgium 0

Semifinal — July 9 — Argentina vs. Netherlands

Squad News/Rumors/Injury Report

Unless Sabella is throwing up a smoke screen — like Luiz Felipe Scolari did with Willian ahead of Brazil's astonishing semifinal — it will indeed be Enzo Perez who replaces Angel di Maria in the starting lineup on Wednesday.

The manager admitted during his press conference yesterday that it is "very likely" the Benfica midfielder will slot into Di Maria's spot as the Real Madrid man recovers from a thigh strain.

"I always said Di Maria was extremely important. He brings balance to the side, can perform various different jobs and associates well with (Lionel) Messi," said the manager. "He has won the Champions League and all of Europe wants him in their side.

"We have to adapt to the circumstances and the moment. Perez was the player of the year in Portugal. He has different characteristics, but he is a dynamic player and occupies the spaces well."

He added that Di Maria may be fit for the final if Argentina can reach that stage.

Sergio Aguero, meanwhile, will likely come off the bench, while Marcos Rojo is expected to return to the starting lineup.

Team Leaders

Goals: Lionel Messi - 4

Assists: Ezequiel Lavezzi, Lionel Messi - 1

Quick Notes

1. Argentina have won all three of their previous World Cup semifinal matches (1930, 1986 and 1990). The tournament in 1978 — which Argentina won — was formatted in such a way that teams went straight from a second group phase to the final, meaning there was technically no semifinal match.

2. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf is confident of a victory for the Oranje:

3. Defender Martin Demichelis discusses how the team must approach Arjen Robben in order to stop him.

4. The Albiceleste go into the match as a slight favorite, according to FiveThirtyEight's predictive model.