In what is going to possible be his final World Cup, Lionel Messi entered Lusail Iconic Stadium seeking to kick begin his quest for what’s most-eluded him in his famed profession with a gimme.
As he walked off the pitch after the ultimate whistle, nevertheless, he had helped ship one his nation’s best embarrassments ever.
Coming into the match as one of many favorites and on a 36-match unbeaten run (one-shy of Italy’s all-time file), Argentina crumbled within the second half as they stunningly fell 2-1 to Saudi Arabia — who was the second-biggest underdog within the match — in its Group C opener Tuesday. Messi really put Argentina up 1-0 in simply the tenth minute, cooly changing a penalty because it appeared the Albiceleste would cruise to a simple three factors.
All of it went unsuitable within the second half, nevertheless.
“The reality?” Messi instructed reporters when requested how he felt after the match. “Lifeless. It’s a really exhausting blow as a result of we didn't count on to start out this manner.”
Lower than three minutes after halftime, Messi misplaced possession as he acquired a go in the midst of the sphere. Saleh Al Shehri then latched onto a via ball and beat Argentina goalie Emiliano Martinez to tie the sport, 1-1. Simply 5 minutes later, Salem Al-Dawsari’s right-footed roller from simply contained in the field gave Saudi Arabia a 2-1 lead as its speedy blitz left Argentina in disbelief.
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With Argentina nonetheless up 1-0 within the first half, Messi appeared to attain on a breakaway, however was referred to as offsides (confirmed by VAR) on a razor-thin margin. Messi started to have fun earlier than he noticed the sideline referee raise the offsides flag. It was one in every of three potential objectives Argentina had dominated offsides all through the match, though none appeared controversial. Lautaro Martinez discovered the again of the online twice, however they didn’t stand as Argentina’s frustrations grew.
“This group [Group C] at all times stood out for its evenness, its power, and it's time to be extra united than ever,” Messi stated. “We now have to return to our coaching base and attempt to win the following recreation.”
Taking part in in his fifth version of the match, a World Cup title is the one factor lacking from the 35-year-old Messi’s profession. Regardless of successful each doable particular person and group trophy between his membership sides Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Messi has infamously failed to duplicate the heights the legendary Diego Maradona captured in Argentinian lore.
Maradona captained Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, successful the Golden Ball as the very best participant of the match. He scored two of the game’s most-famous objectives within the semifinal towards England — the primary an unpenalized hand ball often called the “Hand of God” as one of many worst no-calls ever, and the second an end-to-end particular person run, dribbling previous 5 defenders in what was voted “Aim of the Century.”
Messi, however, has by no means lifted the World Cup trophy, notably coming as shut as runner-up after a heartbreaking loss in additional time to Germany within the 2014 last.
His Argentinian profession has largely been marred by disappointment and criticism. In 2017, Messi briefly introduced his retirement from the nationwide group, uttering “I attempted my hardest, the group has ended for me, a call made,” after Argentina’s loss to Chile within the Copa America last that yr. It marked Messi’s third straight loss in a serious worldwide match with Argentina, and fourth total, and he had agonizingly missed a penalty as the sport went to shootout. He fell below wide-scale ridicule within the nation because it was the second straight time they misplaced to bitter rivals Chile in a Copa America last.
After a country-wide marketing campaign for him to return forward of the 2018 World Cup, nevertheless, Messi quickly introduced he’d come again. He once more got here up quick, however in 2021 he led Argentina to the Copa America title, his first main worldwide trophy.
However the World Cup is the final word prize nonetheless eluding him, and his last alternative at it has now began in catastrophe. Argentina subsequent performs Mexico on Saturday as its potential to get out of the group is all of a sudden below risk.
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