Messi faces Saudi ArabiaScores opening goalMakes more history for Argentina
WHAT HAPPENED? The Argentina captain opened the scoring for his team in their first game of the Qatar tournament against Saudi Arabia. Messi scored from the penalty spot after Tottenham’s Cristian Romero was brought down in the penalty area and a spot-kick was awarded after a VAR check.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi’s goal means he has become the first player to score in four World Cups with Argentina (in 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022). The Paris Saint-Germain star has overtaken Argentine legends Diego Maradona (1982, 1986 and 1994) and Gabriel Batistuta (1994, 1998 and 2002), who only managed to score in three tournaments.
DID YOU KNOW? Argentina have become the first team in World Cup history to have four players over the age of 34 in their starting lineup, with Messi, Nicolas Otamendi, Angel Di María and Papu Gomez all making Lionel Scaloni’s XI.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI? Argentina’s second group game of World Cup 2022 is on Saturday against Mexico.
Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has opined that Chennai Super Kings need a spinner… Read More
Indian captain Shubman Gill has reflected on Mohammad Shami's exclusion ahead of the opening Test… Read More
Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has picked Yashasvi Jaiswal to lead Rajasthan Royals in the… Read More
Former Indian batter Subramaniam Badrinath reckons Varun Chakravarthy is more valuable than Jasprit Bumrah in… Read More
Former Indian opener Ravichandran Ashwin praised Australia for their bowling plans against Abhishek Sharma in… Read More
Former Indian batter Suresh Raina said Rinku Singh is unlikely to get a place in… Read More