Marcel Desailly, former French international and World Cup winner, has praised Argentina’s collective approach at the 2026 World Cup as a key factor behind their success, drawing comparisons to France’s 1998 World Cup-winning squad. Desailly, whose career included stints at clubs such as Nantes, Marseille, Milan, and Chelsea, highlighted the importance of teamwork in maximizing the impact of a world-class talent—in this case, Lionel Messi.

Desailly noted that Argentina’s playing style centers on supporting Messi, allowing him to operate effectively while other players contribute selflessly to the team’s overall effort. He pointed to Lautaro Martínez as a prominent example of a player who has embraced this role, setting aside personal ambition to facilitate Messi’s strengths. According to Desailly, this collective mindset is reminiscent of the Barcelona philosophy of play, where the entire team works to create opportunities for Messi.

“Argentina give you goosebumps,” Desailly said, emphasizing the team's dedication and willingness to exert maximum effort on the pitch. He described the squad as “ready to die” for the cause, a mindset that he believes could help Argentina become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. Despite some assessments suggesting Argentina has less overall quality than teams like Portugal, Desailly argued that the Argentine team’s unity and tactical discipline more than compensate for this.

He also discouraged comparisons between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that Argentina’s collective strength places them in a different category altogether. “Don’t compare Cristiano to Messi again,” he said, underscoring the distinctive team dynamic behind Argentina’s play.

The Argentine team, as defending champions, advanced to the Round of 16 where they were set to face Egypt. Desailly’s analysis underscores how Argentina’s combination of individual brilliance and collective commitment has been fundamental to their campaign so far. This approach echoes the strategy employed by France’s 1998 side, which balanced the talents of Zinedine Zidane with a cohesive team effort that led to major international triumphs.