FIFA World Cup 2018: 3 lesser-known Argentina players who could impress 

FIFA World Cup 2018 is just hours away. Like every other team, Argentina too are gearing up for the most prestigious tournament, hoping to go one better in Russia than the last time around in Brazil four years ago.

Their road to Russia, however, was anything but smooth sailing. Thanks to a Lionel Messi hat-trick against Ecuador, the 2014 finalists are in the hunt for the most coveted prize in world football.

Led by the majestic Lionel Messi, their squad boasts of many talents who will be playing at such a big stage for the first time.

This could be Messi's last shot at glory and his form might as well decide as to how far the Albiceleste will go in the tournament. However, Jorge Sampaoli would like to see the rest of the pack perform as well and if they do, Argentina have a very good chance of lifting the trophy, come July 15.

Let's take a look at three lesser-known Argentine players who could cause a rumble in Russia.

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#3 Franco Armani – Goalkeeper

Will Armani get the nod ahead of Caballero?

Sergio Romero’s prospects of starting in goal for the La Albiceleste side looked as certain as the morning sun before a knee injury ruled him out of the football’s showpiece tournament in Russia.

As the cliché goes “one man’s loss is another man’s opportunity”, this opened the gate for the River Plate goalkeeper, Franco Armani.

Armani has been one of the best in South America for the last couple of years.

A January move to the Monumental has got him the desired exposure as 13 clean sheets in 21 appearances have earned him a ticket to Russia.

He has saved 52 of 62 shots at his goal for River Plate last season which only makes his case strong for the coveted Argentina’s number one position.

However, the 31-year old shot-stopper has never played for Argentina senior side and the suspension of their last warm-up match against Israel means he will go to the World Cup as an uncapped player.

#2 Cristian Pavon - Winger, Striker

Messi praised Cristian Pavon after the friendly against Haiti

A splendid two-year spell at Boca Juniors had earned Cristian Pavon a place in the Argentina national team for friendlies against Russia and Nigeria last November.

He had an impressive debut against Russia, assisting Sergio Aguero on the only goal of the game.

He was equally impressive in their 4-0 win against Haiti last week, assisting Lionel Messi for his third goal of the match; so much so that the Barcelona wizard had only words of praise for him.

“I found myself a new partner in Pavon. He is a great player. A different kind of player” said Messi after the match.

If one aspect that hurt Argentina the most in qualifying, it was their lack of imagination in the final third. There were times during the games where they seemed over-reliant on Messi.

However, if the friendly against Haiti is anything to go by, Pavon’s inclusion has eased the burden off the Barcelona star’s shoulders, liberating him further up the field in the process.

In addition to the pace and quality, the 22-year-old brings to the side, his ability to play on either flank makes him an important asset for the team. No wonder Pavon is attracting interest from many big European clubs of late.

Whether his recent exploits are enough to hand him a place in their starting XI ahead of Angel Di Maria on the left of Argentina attack, remains to be seen but the Boca youngster is a genuine alternative and one of the most exciting young talents to watch out for in Russia – there’s no two ways about it.

#3 Nicolas Tagliafico - Fullback

The left-back is likely to feature in Sampaoli's starting XI

Nicolas Tagliafico - the name might not ring a bell for many. But he has arguably been Argentina’s best option at left-back for a while now.

He established himself as one of the finest players in Argentina after a transfer to Independiente in 2015.

He was central to Independiente’s success over the past year as his exploits on the left flank as well as in the central defence prompted Ajax to make a move for the Argentinian in January.

The 25-year-old made his debut for the Argentina national team in a 1-0 away win against Colombia last year and has only gone from strength to strength since.

He has often been likened to Argentina’s record cap holder Javier Zanetti because of his unceasing stamina, excellent footwork and continuous ventures down the flank.

What sets him apart from the rest of his ilk is his ability to switch between defence and attack in no time.

Tagliafico is likely to start in Russia after impressing Jorge Sampaoli in recent friendlies and can prove to be the impact player that the South American side so lacks at the back over the past years.