Barcelona star Gavi has thrown his weight behind Argentina, declaring them the team to beat at the upcoming World Cup. The Spanish midfielder, who recently helped Barcelona clinch the La Liga title with a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid, believes Lionel Messi’s presence makes Argentina unstoppable.
Speaking to D Sports, Gavi highlighted that Argentina’s status as reigning champions and Messi’s enduring brilliance make them the clear favorites. Despite missing out on Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph due to injury, Gavi is now fit and eager to represent his country at the World Cup.
He stated, “Argentina are the biggest favorites because they are the current champions. Leo Messi is the best player in the world, and as long as he is on the field, they will be the best team.”
The 21-year-old’s comments come after Messi recently set an MLS record by becoming the fastest player to reach 100 goal contributions, achieving the feat in just 64 matches—31 fewer than the previous record held by Sebastian Giovinco. Messi scored and provided two assists in a 4-2 win over Toronto FC.
While Spain enters the tournament as European champions, Gavi does not consider them automatic favorites, instead giving the edge to the South American giants led by his former Barcelona teammate.