Messi will struggle - Alves

Daniel Alves believes that Lionel Messi will struggle to replicate his club form at the World Cup because the Argentina squad is inferior to Barcelona's. FIFA World Player of the Year Messi was the top scorer in Spain last season and an inspirational force behind them retaining their Primera Division crown.

Messi is available at 10/1 to be the Leading Goalscorer at the 2010 World Cup. However, Messi has rarely been able to reproduce this form on the international stage and Alves, who plays with Messi at the Nou Camp, was quick to point the finger at Brazil's South American rivals by suggesting their players are not able to bring the best out of the 22-year-old. He told The Times:

"I think the reason Messi has difficulties with Argentina is because there is no comparison between Barcelona and Argentina. "With all respect to the players in Argentina, there is no comparison between the two. "At Barcelona, he has players of his level." Alves also feels that there is too much pressure on the shoulders of the player widely regarded as the best in the world. "Messi is young," he added.

"He has to carry the nation on his back and it's a big responsibility. "He is too good a person, he never complains about anything." Daniel Alves and Brazil open their World Cup campaign on 15th June against North Korea. On the Handicap betting Brazil can be backed at -2 1/1, with North Korea +2 2/1 and the Handicap Tie at 13/5.