Image source, Getty Images

A brilliant atmosphere inside the ground that will be the venue for the World Cup final next month.

The massive replica World Cup is on the pitch and we are going through the pre-match fireworks and light show.

Tim Vickery
BBC Sport South American football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

I've been watching Lionel Messi for longer than you have and I still don't feel like I know him. So many players you see expressing their personality on the field and after all this time I still don't know him.

I don't know if other people have that feeling but I find him hard to decipher.

Clinton Morrison
Former Republic of Ireland striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I do think it could be a case of how many for Argentina.

They have got great attacking options and I can pick out names that aren't even in the XI, their squad is fantastic.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

The roof has almost come off the place as Lionel Messi's name is announced over the (very) loud speaker...

What will this place be like if he scores?

Tariq Panja of the New York Times on BBC Radio 5 Live: "When the World Cup being in Qatar was announced the relationship between them and Saudi Arabia was quite good and it was celebrated, at least publicly as a win for the region, the gulf, the Muslim world and the Arab world. There is a sense of rivalry among princes, they are almost rival families in a way.

"Qatar have owned PSG and they have got Messi and Mbappe, they got their name trampolined into the world's mind through sport and particularly football. Saudi Arabia are just trying to change their image and this is a shortcut that has been well trodden in a way.

"There is a sense in Saudi that Qatar are unfairly maligned. The culture in Qatar is the same as the culture in Saudi. There are bonds and essentially the same people in many ways. The Western coverage across the region hasn't been well received."

Tim Vickery
BBC Sport South American football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Plan A was to give the ball to Messi and pray, plan B was give the ball to Messi and pray and there was no plan C.

The heartbeat of the side now has been the midfield trio and it is about giving Messi the ball closer to the opposition goal so he individually or collectively can do something to harm the opposition.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

The noise at this Lusail Stadium is incredible.

It has a large roof all the way round that more that reaches into the middle of the pitch and all the noise being made by the fans - which is a lot - is kept in.

Deafening and the place isnt even a tenth full yet.

Huge cheers as the teams emerge for their warm up.

Image source, .

"A lot of England fans will never forgive Maradona for what he did. But if Gary Lineker had done it at the other end, he'd still be hailed as a hero."

Read more on how Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to World Cup glory at Mexico 1986.

Kick off is approaching so here's a reminder of the team news.

Lionel Messi had spent a period training away from the Argentina squad in the build-up to this tournament, but the forward starts and captains the side in what may be the opener to his World Cup swansong. He is one of what is a fearsome front three, along with Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez and Juventus' Angel di Maria.

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez misses out through injury and so Tottenham's Cristian Romero partners Nicolas Otamendi at the back.

Aston Villa keeper Emi Martinez starts in goal.

Argentina: Damian Martinez, Tagliafico, Romero, Otamendi, Molina, Paredes, De Paul, Messi, Di Maria, Gomez, Lautaro Martinez.

Subs: Armani, Foyth, Montiel, Pezzella, Acuna, Alvarez, Palacios, Correa, Almada, Rodriguez, Mac Allister, Dybala, Fernandez, Lisandro Martinez, Rulli.

Salem Al-Dawsari is the man to watch for Saudi Arabia. He starts on the left wing, with Saleh Al-Shehri - top scorer in the third round of AFC qualifying with four goals - is on the opposite side.

Midfielder Riyadh Sharahili misses out through injury but defender Hassan Tambakti starts having overcoming a fitness issue of his own.

Saudi Arabia: Al-Owais, Al-Bulayhi, Abdulhamid, Al-Shahrani, Tambakti, Al-Malki, Salem Al-Dawsari, Al-Shehri, Kanno, Al-Faraj, Al-Buraikan.

Subs: Al-Rubaie, Al-Ghanam, Madu, Al-Amri, Al-Burayk, Otayf, Al-Hassan, Al-Naji, Al-Abed, Bahbri, Al-Aboud, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Asiri, Sharahili, Al-Aqidi.

Tim Vickery
BBC Sport South American football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Argentina will pass, pass and pass - they will try and pass the legs off Saudi Arabia today. When they make it fizz and make it work and get three or four passes together to split open a defence they can be a joy to watch.

There is something gloriously retro about Argentina. We are going to have real fun watching Argentina in this tournament.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

Image source, BBC Sport

It’s the big question. Who is the best? Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi?

I’ve asked a few Argentina fans this morning and the answer is….. mixed.

The younger fans seem to plump for Leo, with the more mature fan going for Diego.

They all said though, Messi will be their greatest if he leads them to World Cup glory this year.

Winners in 1978 and 1986, Argentina are one of three South American teams to have lifted the World Cup trophy, alongside Brazil (5 times) and Uruguay (2 times).

This is their 18th World Cup, with Qatar 2022 being their 13th participation in a row, the third-longest current run after Brazil (22) and Germany (18). Since 1978, only Germany (5) have reached the final of the tournament on more occasions than Argentina (4).

Saudi Arabia have only managed to get out of a World Cup group once - back in 1994. They are also in a poor run of form at the moment with two wins from their last 10 games.

The odds seem stacked against them against one of the tournament favourites, but who knows?

If you haven't seen it yet then the Messi documentary is well worth a watch. It's on BBC iPlayer and you can check out the trailer above.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

Argentina’s last World Cup glories are there for all to see when you get off the Metro at Lusail Stadium.

Will this be their year again? Their already vocal fans seem pretty confident.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Ashley Williams
Former Wales captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

If Lionel Messi is lifting the trophy at the end of the tournament I think we'll all have a smile on our face. He is that guy, he is so good, he is a likeable character and it is something that is missing from his trophy cabinet. I think everyone would be happy to see him lift it.

Tim Vickery
BBC Sport South American football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

We are seeing what the World Cup means. The World Cup is off the scale about what it represents for people.

This is Lionel Messi's best chance of winning the World Cup. In the collective sense of a team, this is the best Argentina team that Messi has come to a World Cup with.

That is delightful surprise as well. They limped away from Russia from four years ago and they were a shambles and you'd wonder if Messi would want to keep doing it because they had the oldest squad and they had to refresh. He did retire for a few weeks in 2016 too.

There was always a sense in Argentina that his quiet and reserved nature inhibited other players. From the Copa America in 2019 you began to see a totally different Messi and the Argentina journalists thought it was amazing, you couldn't shut him up. He'd obviously worked out what he needed to do to help Argentina, he was a leader.

James Collins
Former Wales defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

It would be a shame if Messi was to retire without a World Cup. In my eyes he is the best footballer I have ever seen.

They have won the Copa America last year and there is a real chance. He deserves to lift it for what he's done in football. This year he's got a real chance.

Image source, BBC Sport

Saudi Arabia got thumped 5-0 by Russia in their opening game of the 2018 World Cup and they must be worried they are going to get the same treatment now from Lionel Messi and co.

Messi is the story of course, and everyone is talking about whether this will be his year, but the whole Argentina team are playing well, scoring lots of goals and on a long unbeaten run - that will not be under threat here.

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

Sutton's pre-tournament picks to go through: Argentina (winners) and Mexico (runners-up). Poland to finish third, and Saudi Arabia fourth.

Chris Sutton predicts the opening round of group games in Qatar