Lionel Messi sets a record as Argentina books a spot in the World Cup final
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Lionel Messi celebrating
On Tuesday, 22 men battled it out on the pitch at the Lusail stadium in Doha, Qatar. Out of the 22, 11 Argentinians were victorious, whereas one Lionel Messi shone the brightest. Does Messi performing well come as a surprise? Not really. Throughout the World Cup, Argentina’s No. 10 has delivered for his team, and in their 3-0 victory against Croatia, not only did Messi deliver, but he also broke a long-standing record.
After half an hour of goalless football at the Lusail stadium, Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead by scoring a brilliant penalty. Messi’s goal set the momentum and registered him in the history books. By scoring against Croatia, Messi became Argentina’s highest goal scorer in World Cup competition, a record previously held by star striker Gabriel Batistuta. Along with setting this record, Messi also joined Kylian Mbappe in becoming the leading goal scorer in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. When Argentina looks back at its journey in the Qatar World Cup, the contributions of Messi can’t be defined.
Not only did Messi score against Croatia, but he played an important role in dismantling them. Against the Europeans, Messi displayed leadership, charisma, and magic. He contested individual duels and glided past defenders as if they were not present. While Messi has done this throughout his career, seeing him replicate the same at 35 was a treat. Following Messi’s penalty, Argentina scored two more goals. One was an assist by Messi, who made a brilliant run to set up Julian Alvarez. The three goals scored by the men in Blue and White helped them book a spot in the finals.
After the conclusion of the match, Messi announced that the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals would be his last game for Argentina. Since then, a lot has been written about the man from Rosario. However, the coverage given to Messi must not steal the light from what a young Julian Alvarez accomplished against Croatia. If Lionel Messi was Batman against Croatia, Julian Alvarez was Robin.
Lionel Messi assist helped Julian Alvarez seal the deal for Argentina
Young Argentinian Julian Alvarez came to the limelight after stellar performances for the Argentinian club River Plate. Recognizing his talent early on, English giants Manchester City spent £ 21 million to sign the player. While a few questioned City over Alvarez’s signing, the young Argentinian proved his doubters wrong. Despite his tender age, Julian Alvarez has been the driving force behind Argentina’s attack in the World Cup.
Having scored a goal against Poland and Australia, Alvarez increased his tally by netting two against Croatia. For his first goal, Alvarez capitalized on a mistake made by Croatian defender Borna Sosa. Taking full advantage of it, Alvarez netted the ball into the back of the goal to give Argentina a 2-0 lead over the European tea. However, the 22-year-old did not stop there.
He further increased his goal tally in the match and competition by scoring a brilliant goal which was assisted by Messi. To sum up, Alvarez’s goals against Croatia helped Argentina seal the deal and book a sport in the World Cup final for the first time since 2014. From being a Messi fan as a kid to helping the 35-year-old realize his World Cup dream, Alvarez has come a long way.
While Messi and Alvarez shone at night when it mattered the most, the contributions of the other players can’t go unnoticed. Whether it was goalkeeper Emi Martinez or center-backs Romero and Otamendi, Argentina as a unit displayed beautiful football. Through their game, ‘La Albiceleste’ proved they would give it their all to be World Champions and give captain Lionel Messi the farewell he deserves from international football.
Argentina now finds itself in the finals. But their opponents are yet to be decided. The South American nation will wait and watch the game between France and Morocco to find out whom they will play in the finals. Well, whether they play France or Morocco, the current Argentinian side looks vicious and ambitious. Not only are they playing for their country, but for their captain, the ‘Little Lion,’ Lionel Messi. The question is, can such a determined team be stopped? Vamos Argentina!
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