India, June 7 -- Argentina head into the World Cup carrying a different kind of pressure. As defending champions, they will be one of the teams every opponent wants to beat, but the title also brings confidence and belief that few sides can match. History, however, is not on their side. No nation has successfully defended the World Cup since Brazil achieved the feat in 1958 and 1962. In recent tournaments, defending champions have often struggled, with Spain crashing out in the group stage in 2014 and Germany suffering the same fate in 2018. France bucked the trend by reaching the final in 2022, but retaining the trophy remains one of football's toughest challenges.

Despite those historical hurdles, Argentina possess a trump card in Lion...