The teenage features of prodigy Lionel Messi [Images] stare down from giant posters in Germany [Images] but Argentina fans and the man himself are anxious to know when he will make his World Cup debut.

Messi remained on the bench when coach Jose Pekerman's Argentina beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their opening Group C match in Hamburg at the weekend.

Argentina media reported that he was the only player who did not go on to the AOL Arena pitch at the final whistle to celebrate the victory with the 14 players who had taken part in the match and the rest of the squad.

Messi headed straight for the dressing room where 1986 World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona [Images] had surprised the team with an unscheduled appearance just before kickoff to give them a pep talk and promise to pay for a lunch together if they won.

Messi, who will celebrate his 19th birthday on June 24, the day of or day after Argentina's second round match if they get through, is desperate to play, according to some media, although he recognises that decision rests with Pekerman.

THIGH INJURY

He is fully recovered from the thigh injury that deprived him of taking part in Barcelona's Champions League victory in Paris, another match after which he quickly disappeared down the tunnel rather than celebrating with his team mates on the pitch.

Media speculation has the sportswear giant adidas, who kit out the Argentina squad and put up the giant Messi posters, possibly pushing for Messi's inclusion in the team.

True or not, Pekerman is waiting for what he deems the right moment, much like Sven-Goran Eriksson with Wayne Rooney [Images] although for different reasons. Messi, with seven caps since his debut last August, is less experienced internationally.

This could come against Serbia & Montenegro in Argentina's second Group C match in Gelsenkirchen on Friday, perhaps if the starting 11 struggle or fall behind.

'ONLY A KID'

Maradona, as unpredictable today with his diary as he was with a ball at his feet in his heyday, said he would visit Argentina's dressing room again before kickoff.

The players love such visits, as they did the night they beat Brazil [Images] 3-1 in Buenos Aires in a World Cup qualifier last June. It is less clear what Pekermen feels about them although he says all the right things about the national icon.

Pekerman was quoted this week as saying Messi cannot be thrown on to the demands of media and fans. "He's a kid and you have to steer him through calmly.

"If something goes wrong, the only person affected will be the kid. And Messi is that, only a kid ... There is still plenty of World Cup for him to play."

Messi took the footballing world by storm last season with Barcelona after a slow-starting but ultimately scintillating performance for Argentina in the World Youth Cup a year ago.

Argentina started with a defeat and Messi on the bench but ended up winning the tournament in the Netherlands with Messi voted best player.

He has been tipped, among others by Maradona, as a possible best player of the senior World Cup a year on and such praise only serves to build up the youngster's desire to get off the mark.

Messi, who went out with his family on Monday's afternoon off, told Argentine media that: "when you're waiting you want to be called to go on, but what's important is that we won".

Photograph: Getty Images