Lionel Messi has already come to Argentina’s rescue at the World Cup. He might just have to do it all over again. (More Football News)
Lionel Messi's Argentina have all to play for when they come up against Robert Lewandowski's Poland in this crucial Group C encounter at the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Lionel Messi has already come to Argentina’s rescue at the World Cup. He might just have to do it all over again. (More Football News)
Another emotionally charged evening awaits Messi and the soccer-mad south American nation ওthat worships him when Argentina meets Poland on Wednesday for a match with so much on the line.
For Messi, who 𝓡is playing in likely his last World Cup. For Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, who might also be too old when soccer’ꦛs biggest tournament rolls up next in 2026.
And for the World Cup as a whole. Because who, really, doesn’t want to see Lionel Messi — one of the game’s grea⭕test ever players — in the late stages of a tou🙈rnament that is heating up so nicely.
There are multiple permutations at play for the Group C finale: A win for the Argentines and they are sure to advance, likely as the group winners. A draw, and they can either finish in second place behind Poland or be squeezed out by eithe𓃲r Saudi Ar🐠abia or Mexico, who are playing in a match taking place concurrently.
A loss? Well, that just doesn’t bear thinking about for anyone associated with Argentina. The team wouldn’t just be eliminated but humiliated. Lionel Messi might never be seen in the Albic🔯eleste’s sky blue-and-white jersey again.
That scenario ✱is too much for Argentina fans to take. It’s why tears were shed on the field, among the technical staff and among the fanbase after Messi scored the crucial s𓃲econd-half goal to set Argentina on its way to a 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday.
That victory meant Argentina bounced baꦡck from its shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening match and now ꩲhas a fighting chance to avoiding a first group-stage exit since 2002.
“Now another World Cup has begun,” said Lionel Messi, who will hope to score for the third straight match at this World Cup and has netted ꧋13 goals for Argentina in 2022 — already a career-high haul in a single calendar year.
Concerns about Lionel Messi’s health have dogged the seven-time world player of the year at the World Cup, starting from when he👍 trained alone for two days before Argentina’s opening game. He played the full 💟90 minutes against Saudi Arabia and also in the Mexico game, which he finished in some discomfort after turning his ankle late on.
M♌essi later confirmed it was nothing serious. But it only adds to the worries about the physical wellbeing of a 35-year-old player who is clearly pacing himself during matches, picking and choosing his moments to explode into life.
Elsewhere, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni must decide whether to persist with Lautaro Martinez, who has been well covered in the first two games, or go with another striker in Julian Alvarez. Likewise, has highly rated young midfielder Enzo Fernández done enough to force his way into the team after a scoring cameo as a substitute aga♓inst Mexico? And who will Scaloni pick at full back, having played a different right back and left back in each of Argentina’s games?
As for Pꦇoland, some of the weight is off the 34-year-old Lewandowski’s back afte♛r he finally scored a goal at a World Cup in the 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Now he’s looking to ad🍸vance beyond the group stage for the first time at a World Cup. Poland hasn’t done so since 1986. Argentina fans will be wary of the threat of Lewandowski, who rivals France’s Karim Benzema as the ﷽best striker in the world.
They’ll know, though, tꦕhat they have an even bigger icon in Messi, who continues — even in the twilight of his magnificent career — to bend soꩵccer games to his will.
Can he do it one more time?