- Argentina will be in Pot Two for the upcoming 2018 World Cup draw in December
- Lionel Messi’s side could face Spain, but he says he is keen to avoid them in draw
- Barcelona star Messi describes his country of residence as ‘a very difficult rival’
- Messi rates ‘Spain, Brazil, Germany and France’ as favourites to win World Cup
It might be because he lives there or perhaps because he has friends in their team, but Barcelona’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi has identified Spain as the one country he hopes to avoid in the group stages of the World Cup finals next year.
‘I wouldn’t like to be drawn against Spain, who are one of the rivals we could get in the draw,’ Messi told Argentine broadcaster TyC on Wednesday. ‘For all that they stand for, for all that they have, I’d rather avoid them.’
‘They’d be a very difficult rival.’
Lionel Messi trains with his Argentina team-mates ahead of their friendly against Russia
The Argentina forward has admitted he would like to avoid Spain in the World Cup draw
Champions in 2010, Spain will be in the second pot of seeds, alongside England, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay, when the draw is made in Moscow on December 1.
Four-time World Cup winners Italy, who face Sweden in their playoff match, will also go into pot two should they qualify.
The top eight seeds are made up of the seven teams leading the FIFA rankings – Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland and France – as well as host nation Russia.
Messi, who played for Argentina when they lost the final three years ago to Germany, rated ‘Spain, Brazil, Germany and France’ among his favourites for the title.
Messi takes part in a drill alongside Manchester City star Sergio Aguero in Moscow this week