<p class="title">Argentina and Lionel Messi need to find form fast if they are to go any further in the World Cup on Saturday when they meet a France team who have yet to live up to their billing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The first last-16 match in Russia promises to be a fascinating clash of two under-achieving sides who are supposedly on different trajectories.</p>.<p class="bodytext">All the flaws of an ageing and unbalanced Argentina team were ruthlessly exposed in the thrashing by Croatia in the group stage.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But, roared on by a pumped-up Diego Maradona, Messi finally opened his account in this tournament before Marcos Rojo volleyed in a stunning winner against Nigeria as the losing 2014 finalists punched their ticket to the knockout stage.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Didier Deschamps' France, meanwhile, among the pre-tournament favourites, have looked sluggish despite easing through the group stage unbeaten.</p>.<p class="bodytext">First-choice striker Antoine Griezmann has been unable to recapture his best form and the creativity has failed to flow from midfield.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Deschamps is adamant that France will get it all right on the night when the business end of the tournament kicks off on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"A whole new competition begins now, direct elimination," Deschamps said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We got what we wanted. Now the mountain looms up in front of us, but we're there and we're aiming to get through to the next round after that."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi underlined his importance to Argentina with a sublimely-taken opening goal against Nigeria on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But it only partly made amends for the Barcelona icon's penalty miss against Iceland in a lacklustre 1-1 draw that dampened Argentine hopes from their opening match.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi was then virtually missing in action when Jorge Sampaoli's men suffered the chastening defeat to Croatia.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The tension of the win over Nigeria had 1986 World Cup winner Maradona grimacing towards the sky, a crazed look in his eyes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Maradona later played down concerns over his health after he was checked over by paramedics inside his VIP box.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Argentina and Messi's health is under scrutiny too, according to former France captain Marcel Desailly.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A World Cup winner with France in 1998, Desailly told Britain's Guardian newspaper: "We know Messi is great but we're confused and sad for him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He is such a pure Barcelona product but with Argentina right now, Messi's in a mess. And let's face it, France have yet to show anything to make us feel optimistic, to give us hope," said Desailly.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With just three goals from three games, an attacking line featuring Griezmann, 145-million-euro teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud have hardly set the tournament on fire.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Griezmann, particularly, is facing increasing scrutiny two years after his six-goal, seven-assist tally steered France to the final of Euro 2016, where France lost to Portugal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His campaign so far has been more remarkable for the controversy caused by his decision to announce his commitment to Atletico Madrid, rejecting Barcelona in the process, in a 40-minute video which aired on the eve of France's opener.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He's fine, he's fine. You mustn't ever doubt one of the best players in the world," said his Atletico team-mate Lucas Hernandez.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Les Bleus should have the measure of Messi, according to Marius Tresor, the former France defender who helped Les Bleus to a fourth-place finish at the 1982 World Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Against Messi, they (France) will have to play intelligently," Tresor told AFP. "If Messi comes through the middle we have a guy called N'Golo Kante who doesn't let people past him easily.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"On his (Messi's) right side there's Hernandez, who knows him well from the Spanish league.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi "likes to move around, so we have to try and control him."</p>
<p class="title">Argentina and Lionel Messi need to find form fast if they are to go any further in the World Cup on Saturday when they meet a France team who have yet to live up to their billing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The first last-16 match in Russia promises to be a fascinating clash of two under-achieving sides who are supposedly on different trajectories.</p>.<p class="bodytext">All the flaws of an ageing and unbalanced Argentina team were ruthlessly exposed in the thrashing by Croatia in the group stage.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But, roared on by a pumped-up Diego Maradona, Messi finally opened his account in this tournament before Marcos Rojo volleyed in a stunning winner against Nigeria as the losing 2014 finalists punched their ticket to the knockout stage.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Didier Deschamps' France, meanwhile, among the pre-tournament favourites, have looked sluggish despite easing through the group stage unbeaten.</p>.<p class="bodytext">First-choice striker Antoine Griezmann has been unable to recapture his best form and the creativity has failed to flow from midfield.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Deschamps is adamant that France will get it all right on the night when the business end of the tournament kicks off on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"A whole new competition begins now, direct elimination," Deschamps said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We got what we wanted. Now the mountain looms up in front of us, but we're there and we're aiming to get through to the next round after that."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi underlined his importance to Argentina with a sublimely-taken opening goal against Nigeria on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But it only partly made amends for the Barcelona icon's penalty miss against Iceland in a lacklustre 1-1 draw that dampened Argentine hopes from their opening match.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi was then virtually missing in action when Jorge Sampaoli's men suffered the chastening defeat to Croatia.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The tension of the win over Nigeria had 1986 World Cup winner Maradona grimacing towards the sky, a crazed look in his eyes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Maradona later played down concerns over his health after he was checked over by paramedics inside his VIP box.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Argentina and Messi's health is under scrutiny too, according to former France captain Marcel Desailly.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A World Cup winner with France in 1998, Desailly told Britain's Guardian newspaper: "We know Messi is great but we're confused and sad for him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He is such a pure Barcelona product but with Argentina right now, Messi's in a mess. And let's face it, France have yet to show anything to make us feel optimistic, to give us hope," said Desailly.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With just three goals from three games, an attacking line featuring Griezmann, 145-million-euro teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud have hardly set the tournament on fire.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Griezmann, particularly, is facing increasing scrutiny two years after his six-goal, seven-assist tally steered France to the final of Euro 2016, where France lost to Portugal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His campaign so far has been more remarkable for the controversy caused by his decision to announce his commitment to Atletico Madrid, rejecting Barcelona in the process, in a 40-minute video which aired on the eve of France's opener.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He's fine, he's fine. You mustn't ever doubt one of the best players in the world," said his Atletico team-mate Lucas Hernandez.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Les Bleus should have the measure of Messi, according to Marius Tresor, the former France defender who helped Les Bleus to a fourth-place finish at the 1982 World Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Against Messi, they (France) will have to play intelligently," Tresor told AFP. "If Messi comes through the middle we have a guy called N'Golo Kante who doesn't let people past him easily.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"On his (Messi's) right side there's Hernandez, who knows him well from the Spanish league.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi "likes to move around, so we have to try and control him."</p>