Argentina won´t need to be their best, says Queiroz

Head coach Carlos Queiroz has acknowledged that Argentina’s “geniuses” will not need to be at their best to beat his Iran side on Saturday.

Alejandro Sabella’s men put in an unconvincing display against Bosnia-Herzegovina in their FIFA World Cup Group F opener yet still managed to emerge with a 2-1 win.

Iran, meanwhile, played out an unspectacular goalless draw with Nigeria, making qualification look even tougher for Queiroz’s team.

Argentina and Iran meet at Belo Horizonte in Saturday’s earliest kick-off and Queiroz conceded that, like against Bosnia, Sabella’s team will not have to play well to earn a win.

He said: “Argentina is a team that at any moment can look like they aren’t playing good football and when you wake up they score two goals.

“Argentina is a team of geniuses, outstanding players. But we know we cannot play with geniuses; we need other players and this is the profile of the Iranian team, a team of sacrifice.

“It will be a team playing to win the World Cup and a team playing to win their own cup so to speak.

“We want to compete with respect and dignity. Enter the pitch with our heads held high and leave it with our heads held high again.

“We have to be (tactically) one step ahead of everything Argentina do. It is very hard for us, no doubt, but it’s the most anticipated game in the history of Iranian football.”