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Lionel Messi’s final quest for elusive glory begins Tuesday when his Argentina squad faces Saudi Arabia in a 2022 World Cup match in Lusail, Qatar. Argentina have made four straight World Cup appearances, but haven’t claimed the title despite typically being among the favorites. They lost to Germany in the final in 2014 but bowed out in the Round of 16 in 2018. Messi claimed his first major trophy in July 2021 at the Copa America, and now he has his sights on an even bigger prize. Saudi Arabia have reached the World Cup five times but have failed to advance in four straight since reaching the knockout round in their 1994 debut. La Albiceleste have won 36 straight matches in all competitions, while the Saudis finished one point ahead of Japan as both earned their spots through AFC World Cup qualifying.
Kickoff is set for 5 a.m. ET on Tuesday at Lusail Stadium. Argentina are the -675 favorites (risk $675 to win $100) in the latest Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Saudi Arabia are the +1900 underdogs, a draw is priced at +600, and the over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before locking in any Saudi Arabia vs. Argentina picks, be sure to check out the 2022 FIFA World Cup predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine soccer simulation model evaluates a team’s offensive and defensive capabilities based on the game situation. Then, it assigns a grade using an expected payout-to-probability ratio. The model was accurate on 56% of all picks during the Champions League group stage and returned more than $1,000 to $100 bettors on its A+ picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has analyzed Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia from every angle and locked in its 2022 World Cup picks. You can head to SportsLine to see the 2022 World Cup picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Saudi Arabia vs. Argentina:
With a victory, Argentina can tie Italy’s record 37-game international unbeaten streak. Messi should be in rare form as he seeks to join Argentine heroes Diego Maradona (1986) and Mario Kempes (1978) as World Cup champions. Messi has 91 goals in 165 international matches and has won the Ballon d’Or as the world’s best player seven times. He has scored 767 goals in all competitions over his 19 seasons. He has scored 10 goals in four friendly matches since June.
Messi isn’t the only player the Saudis will need to worry about, as 25-year-old Lautaro Martinez also has become a prolific scorer in Italy’s Serie A. He has 59 goals over the past three-plus seasons with Inter Milan and has scored 21 goals in 40 international matches. Angel Di Maria also will be finishing off a stellar career, and he can make magic with his creativity and score on free kicks. Argentina have outscored their opponents 42-9 since the start of 2021 (15-7-0).
The Saudis should sit back and soak up the pressure from Argentina, and they don’t give up a lot of goals. La Albiceleste also don’t score a ton in tournament play, as they take a conservative approach to earn points and advance. Argentina have scored multiple goals four times in their past 10 competitive matches. Saudi Arabia have posted clean sheets in recent matches with teams like the USMNT and Ecuador and allowed just three goals over eight friendly matches.
Saudi Arabia had a 34-10 goal edge through the two rounds of AFC World Cup qualifying, with Salem Al-Dawsari scoring seven goals in that qualifying run. He plays for Riyadh-based Al Hilal and led the team to AFC Champions League titles in 2019 and 2021. Al-Dawsari scored the team’s last World Cup goal, a 2-1 victory against Egypt in 2018. The Saudis play with speed and flair, and their quick movement in and around the box can draw free kicks and penalties.
The model has taken an in-depth look at the Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia match from every angle, and it says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model’s FIFA World Cup 2022 pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia? And which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia spread to back on Tuesday, all from the model that hit 56% of its Champions League picks, and find out.
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