Lionel Messi announces the 2022 FIFA World Cup final will be his last match for Argentina; A look back at his illustrious World Cup resume
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Lionel Messi
Argentina earned a spot in the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with Lionel Messi leading the way. The Golden trophy is the only laurel that has eluded his fairy tale career from touching perfection. The little magician, as per multiple reports, has announced that this Sunday, the coming final where his team will be facing either Morocco or France. It will be his last game for the South American giants, as rep[orted by the local Argentine media. The news has caused somewhat unrest among the fans who already hail the man as the GOAT.
Lionel Messi, potentially playing his best knock at the trophy after beating Croatia (3-0), has already set multiple records in the campaign and is leading in many. He is the joint top goalscorer (5) with Kylian Mbappe, Most assists (3), shots taken (27), shots on target (14), expected goals(4.75), chances created(18), fouls drawn(20), Open-play chances created (14), Take-one (36). He also managed at 35 to grab the most Man-of-the-Match awards(4).
It will be one of the best-ever World Cup-winning campaigns if the Argentine lions lift the golden trophy and end the GOAT debate. The man has carried the team for so long, and it’s the outcome he was expecting at the campaign, but it seems like the little magician has still got the moves to climb up the tree for the fruit himself. The whole world will have its eyes stitched to the great man on Sunday.
Lionel Messi’s flourishing career with his country at the World Cup is full of ups and downs, with a major dent in losing a final by a thin margin to Germany in 2014. However, even after those defeats and disappointments, the World Cup resume that screams its value at the grandest stage has taken the man’s worth to another level. While playing in his fifth World Cup edition, the little man has set records and broken a few as well. The overall stats and records list stands apart as it makes a whole list.
Lionel Messi’s legacy in the World Cup with Argentina is nothing less than a fairy tale
The year 2006, marked the very beginning of a blissful journey when the blessed boy at the age of 18 came in as a substitute against Serbia only to score in the winning match. The tournament for Argentina was overshadowed by the Germans when they beat them in the penalty shootout in the quarterfinals. 2018, was the worst world cup campaign in terms of the national team as they were eliminated by France in the round of 16 only, where Lionel Messi managed to bag a goal and an assist.
The year 2010, was the year when Lionel Messi’s worksheet for Argentina unleashed a whole plethora of expectations on the young lad, subsequently marking the little magician’s worst world cup campaign in his entire career with his country while managing to provide a single assist the player couldn’t find the back of the net for the entire campaign despite his nation reaching the quarterfinals only to lose against Germany (4-0).
As it stands, despite losing the final to Germany in extra time(1-0), Lionel Messi is said to have had his best campaign in 2014, bagging 4 goals and 1 assist for his country, winning the golden ball- which is given to the best player of the tournament. However, the year 2022 is lucky enough to be named as the player’s best shot at the world cup as he’s already bagged 5 goals and 3 assists for his country and is yet to play the grand finale.
Lionel Messi’s overall records in the FIFA World Cups with Argentina
- Oldest men’s player to ever score five goals at a single World Cup
- The only player to both score and assist in four separate World Cup matches since 1966 (2006, and three times in 2022)
- The only player to both score and assist in three different games of a single World Cup since 1966 (2022)
- Only player to score in the World Cup in his teens, 20s, and 30s
- The only player to register an assist in five different World Cups
- Only Argentina player to score in three different knockout stages of the World Cup
- One of four men to record 19 goal contributions in the World Cup since 1966 (would be first to 20 with one more); Miroslav Klose, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Gerd Müller (all 19 each)
- One of two men with 25 World Cup appearances, will pass Lothar Matthäus (Germany) for sole possession when he plays in final
- One of five men (and first Argentina player) to score at four World Cups; Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record, having scored in five different World Cups; Pelé, Uwe Seeler, and Miroslav Klose each scored in four different World Cups
10. One of six men to play in five World Cups; Rafa Márquez (Mexico), Antonio Carbajal (Mexico), Lothar Matthäus (Germany), Andrés Guardado (Mexico), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
11. One of six men to score in the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals at a single World Cup since the round of 16 was reintroduced in 1986; Wesley Sneijder (2010), Davor Suker (1998), Hristo Stoichkov (1994), Roberto Baggio (1994), Salvatore Schillaci (1990)
12. One of eight players to reach 11 World Cup goals
13. One of 14 men with 10 career World Cup goals
14. Six assists in knockout stage games, tied with Pelé for the most of any men’s player all-time
15. 11 career World Cup goals, passing Gabriel Batistuta for the most in Argentina’s history
16. 13 World Cup matches in which he has scored or assisted, tied with Ronaldo (Brazil) for the most since 1966
17. 16 victories played in, one shy of tying Miroslav Klose for the most in men’s World Cup history
19. 18 appearances as captain for Argentina in the World Cup, the most of any men’s player all-time
20. 19 goals contributions, surpassing Diego Maradona’s record for most World Cup goal contributions for Argentina since 1966
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