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Sports

Any team would depend on a player like Messi, exasperated Argentina World Cup coach says

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Argentina's Angel di Maria, right, and Lionel Messi celebrate after di Maria scored during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Switzerland at the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, July 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (The Associated Press)

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    CORRECTS NAME OF MARCOS ROJO TO GELSON FERNANDES - Switzerland's Gelson Fernandes, left, tries to stop Argentina's Lionel Messi during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Switzerland at the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, July 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) (The Associated Press)

BRASILIA, Brazil – Is Argentina's World Cup only about Lionel Messi?

Coach Alejandro Sabella seems to be getting a little exasperated with the observation — also made by Diego Maradona — that his team is overly reliant on the little magician.

Messi scored four of Argentina's six goals in the group stage in Brazil and set up Angel Di Maria for the winning goal in the second round against Switzerland.

Ahead of the quarterfinal against Belgium, Sabella responded to another question about his playmaker's significant influence with: "I repeat: Any team that has a player like Messi will greatly depend on him."

But Sabella also said "there is teamwork" in Argentina's game and interrupted a reporter to describe, in detail, the crucial role of another player in that Di Maria goal.