Two of the biggest stars in men's soccer will square off on Wednesday with spots in the 2022 FIFA World Cup knockout round on the line. Robert Lewandowski and...
World Cup 2022 Scores: Saturday's Group Results and Sunday's Schedule
Nov 26, 2022
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - NOVEMBER 26: Lionel Messi (10) of Argentina celebrates after his goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Argentina and Mexico at Lusail Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Salih Zeki Fazlioglu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Three of the biggest names in men's soccer produced crucial goals for their respective teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Robert Lewandowski finally broke his World Cup scoring drought in Poland's 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia, Kylian Mbappe bagged a brace in France's 2-1 victory over Denmark and Lionel Messi scored for Argentina to keep its tournament hopes alive in a 2-0 win over Mexico.
Messi's goal was the most important one for the three teams because Argentina was staring at elimination if it lost to Mexico. Argentina now controls its own fate to reach the round of 16.
In Group D, France became the first team to book its spot in the round of 16. Australia, Denmark and Tunisia are all still alive for the second advancement spot.
Australia took control of that group with a 1-0 win over Tunisia, but the Socceroos still have to play Denmark in the final group stage game.
Lionel Messi ensured Argentina would stay alive for advancement into the final group stage game.
The Argentinian great rolled a shot from outside the box past a diving Guillermo Ochoa and into the right side of the net in the 64th minute against Mexico.
Argentina's lead was padded by Enzo Fernandez in the 87th minute. That tally moved Argentina ahead of Saudi Arabia by two on goal differential.
Saudi Arabia fell down to third place in Group C after it lost to Poland in the second match of the day.
Robert Lewandowski finished off the victory, when he took advantage of a defensive mistake in the 82nd minute. That was the first World Cup goal in five matches for the Barcelona forward.
Poland topped Group C with its win and now it will go head-to-head with Argentina for first place in the four-team group.
Poland just needs a draw to get through, but Argentina will be playing for the win. Argentina not only wants to avoid any danger in Group C, but the second-place finisher in the group will likely be matched up with France.
Saudi Arabia needs to beat Mexico and make up its goal differential on Argentina, if the two sides both win, to get into the round of 16.
Mexico first needs to beat Saudi Arabia to eliminate the Asian side and then the math becomes a bit more complicated.
A Mexico win and a Poland win would put El Tri through in second place. Mexico would have to make up a four-goal deficit in goal differential to leap over Poland, if the two sides finish on four points.
Group D
1. France - 6 (6 GF, 2 GA, +4 GD)
2. Australia - 3 (2 GF, 4 GA -2 GD)
3. Denmark - 1 (1 GF, 2 GA, -1 GD)
4. Tunisia - 1 (0 GF, 1 GA, - 1 GD)
France became the first team to advance to the round of 16 with its 2-1 win over Denmark.
Kylian Mbappé moved into a tie for the lead for the Golden Boot with a pair of second-half strikes against a Danish side that beat the reigning champion twice in the UEFA Nations League earlier this year.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 61st minute and then secured the victory in the 86th minute. Andreas Christiansen scored Denmark's goal in the 68th minute.
The victory put France three points ahead of Australia in Group D. The French beat the Socceroos by three goals in their opening match in Qatar.
France should clinch first place in Group D in its final group match against Tunisia, who has not scored in the World Cup yet.
Tunisia is still alive for second place in Group D because it sits two points back of Australia.
However, the African side needs to be more productive in attack than it was against the Aussies and Denmark in order to even have a shot against France.
If France wins as expected, Denmark and Australia will fight for the second advancement spot from Group D.
Australia put itself in a great position to move on to the round of 16 through Mitchell Duke's 23rd-minute game-winning goal against Tunisia in Saturday's first match.
Australia needs a win over Denmark to get into the round of 16. A draw would be sufficient as long as France gets one point out of its match against Tunisia.
Denmark gets through with a win over Australia, while Tunisia needs an unlikely win over France and a better goal differential over Denmark, if the two sides are tied, to stay alive in the tournament.
Argentina resides in the ideal position to start what is potentially Lionel Messi's final FIFA World Cup off with a win. Argentina begins Group C action...
The 2022 FIFA World Cup draw produced an easy path to the knockout round for some of the world's top teams, but others will be forced to grind out results at...
Lionel Messi Addresses Future, Retirement: 'Don’t Think I’ll Play for Much Longer'
Nov 16, 2022
PSG's Lionel Messi controls the ball during the Champions League group H soccer match between Juventus and Paris Saint Germain at the Allianz stadium in Turin, Italy, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Lionel Messi is heading into his fifth World Cup with Argentina, but his playing career could soon be coming to an end.
"I don't think I will play for much longer," he told Ezequiel Lavezzi, via Connell Edgar-Jones of Barca Universal.
The 35-year-old is amid an outstanding season with Paris Saint-Germain, tallying seven goals with 10 assists in 13 league matches, adding four goals with four assists in Champions League action.
PSG currently sits on top of the Ligue 1 table and has advanced to the Round of 16 in Champions League.
The World Cup will also provide a chance to add to his trophy case after helping Argentina win the Copa América last season. The team was a runner-up at the 2014 World Cup and it's a top contender to take home the title in Qatar.
Despite the recent success, Messi's future remains in doubt with his PSG contract up at the end of the season.
There have been reports about a potential move to MLS, with Inter Miami having "increasing confidence" a deal will be completed, per David Ornstein of The Athletic. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has also kept the door open for a move back to Camp Nou next year.
Even with the opportunities, it seems Messi already has his sights on retirement.
Of course, the superstar could still remain involved in the sport in some way.
"I love football," Messi said. "Surely, I will work on something related to it. I have done it all my life."
If he doesn't want to coach, one option could be following in the path of David Beckham, who is now the president and co-owner of Inter Miami.
Diego Maradona's Family Says 'Hand of God' Jersey Headed to Auction Isn't Correct One
Apr 7, 2022
FILE - The soccer shirt, center, worn by Argentina's Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal against England is displayed at the National Football Museum in Manchester, England Nov. 26, 2020. The shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored the controversial “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup is for sale for the first time. Auctioneer Sotheby’s said Wednesday, April 6, 2022 that the jersey could fetch more than 4 million pounds ($5.2 million) in an online auction that opens April 20. (AP Photo/Jon Super, file)
Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal was one of the most controversial plays in sports history, so it's only fitting that the jersey he was supposedly wearing when he scored it going to auction has created a controversy of its own.
Pablo Maurer of The Athletic reported the No. 10 jersey the Argentina star was wearing during his side's victory over England in a 1986 World Cup quarterfinal match is valued at approximately $5.2-7.8 million ahead of an upcoming auction.
Maradona scored the controversial goal with the use of his hand, but officials did not clearly see the violation. It put his side up 1-0, and Argentina eventually went on to win 2-1 when he scored another goal by breaking through defenders and finding the back of the net in what is known as the "Goal of the Century."
England midfielder Steve Hodge swapped jerseys with Maradona after the game and had lent it to the National Football Museum in the United Kingdom in the past, but he is ready to part with it via the auction.
"I have been the proud owner of this item for over 35 years, since Diego and I swapped shirts in the tunnel after the famed match," Hodge said in a press release through Sotheby's auction house. "The Hand of God shirt has deep cultural meaning to the football world, the people of Argentina, and the people of England and I'm certain that the new owner will have immense pride in owning the world’s most iconic football shirt."
However, Maradona's family said the shirt going up for auction is not the correct one since the Argentina star changed at halftime and gave Hodge the one he wore in the first half before the "Hand of God" goal.
His daughter, Dalma Maradona, and his ex-wife, Claudia Villafana, said as much on Argentine radio. His younger brother, Lalo Maradona, supported their claims.
Dalma said her father used to say, "That guy [Hodge] thinks he has the shirt. How am I going to give the shirt from the game of my life to someone?"
Yet Sotheby's hired an outside firm, Photomatch, to analyze the shirt. The company has done such work on game-worn jerseys from Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Babe Ruth in the past.
"There was indeed a different shirt worn by Maradona in the first half, but there are clear differences between that and what was worn during the goals," Sotheby's director of communications Melica Khansari said. "And so, prior to putting this shirt for sale, we did extensive diligence and scientific research on the item to make sure it was the shirt worn by Maradona in the second half for the two goals."
Argentina went on to win that World Cup with a 3-2 victory over West Germany in the final. It also won the 1978 World Cup but has not triumphed in the tournament since.
Lionel Messi Left off Argentina World Cup Qualifying Roster amid COVID-19 Recovery
Jan 19, 2022
BRASILIA, BRAZIL - JUNE 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina sing s the national anthem prior to a group A match between Argentina and Chile as part of Conmebol Copa America Brazil 2021 at Mane Garrincha Stadium on June 18, 2021 in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo by Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni
didn't select superstar forward Lionel Messi for the national team's
upcoming World Cup qualifiers as he continues to recover from
COVID-19.
ESPN's Adriana Garcia reported Messi
will remain with Paris Saint-Germain as La Albiceleste, who've
already clinched a berth in the 2022 World Cup, face off with Chile
on Jan. 27 and Colombia on Feb. 1.
Messi hasn't played since a Ligue 1 draw against Lorient on Dec. 22. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan.
2 during the league's winter break.
The 34-year-old Argentine posted an
update on Instagram last week, saying a full recovery took longer
than he expected but also confirmed he'd resumed training.
Messi is tentatively "expected to
return" when PSG hosts Reims at the Parc des Princes, per Garcia.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is off to a
solid start to his Les Parisiens career with six goals and four
assists across 16 appearances between Ligue 1 and the Champions
League.
He signed with the French giants in
August after his storied Barcelona tenure came to a close because of
the Spanish club's financial situation.
With Argentina having already punched
its ticket to Qatar for the World Cup, which kicks off in November, the national team may give him the international breaks to rest and recover for the remainder of
the 2021-22 club term.
The next qualifiers are scheduled for
March and then La Albiceleste are scheduled to face Italy in a clash
between the Copa America and Euro champions on June 1.
Winning a World Cup is one of the few
boxes Messi hasn't checked off on his career resume, so being at full
fitness and in peak form come November is surely a major focus in the
months ahead.
With his absence, Angel Di Maria,
Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala are among the players who will be
called on to help lead the Argentina attack in the next set of
qualifiers.
Lionel Messi Says He Has 'Peace of Mind' After Argentina's 2021 Copa America Win
Sep 9, 2021
Argentina's Lionel Messi (C) and teammates celebrate after winning the Conmebol 2021 Copa America football tournament final match against Brazil at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 10, 2021. - Argentina won 1-0. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP) (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel
Messi said he's felt "peace of mind" since leading the
Argentina national team to the 2021 Copa America championship in
July.
Messi, who tied for the tournament lead
with four goals and won the Best Player Award, told ESPN's Adriana Garcia on Wednesday he was on
cloud nine after the triumph.
"I have peace of mind of having
achieved the dream that has been denied to me so many times," he
said. "It was like a dream, a spectacular moment. I couldn't
believe it had happened. I enjoy watching the images now more than at
the time as I was in a daze. I didn't quite understand what was
happening."
The Argentine squad had come close at
major events on several occasions since Messi made his senior team
debut in 2005. It finished as the runner-up in Copa America three
times (2007, 2015 and 2016) and also reached the final in the 2014
World Cup.
While Argentina did win back-to-back
Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008, those events are contested
differently with mostly U23 players, so Messi and Co. still felt the
pressure to win a trophy on one of the sport's biggest stages.
The 34-year-old told
ESPN coming up short in previous finals led the external pressure to
build:
A part of the media treated us as
failures, saying that we didn't feel the [responsibility] of wearing
the jersey, that we shouldn't be in the national team.
We tried to be champions before,
we were the first ones to want to. It's very difficult to win a World
Cup or a Copa America. At the time they didn't value what we did,
they only put emphasis on the fact that we didn't achieve the aim.
The important thing is to feel satisfied that you have given your
all...luckily, the last time [final] was different.
Messi often came under fire for the
national team's lack of success, in large part because his scoring
rate couldn't match that of what he produced at the club level during
a decorated career with Barcelona.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner scored
672 goals in 778 appearances (0.86 goals per game) for Barca. He's
tallied 76 goals in 152 matches (0.5 GPG) for La Albiceleste.
Finally capturing a major title helped
alleviate some of that pressure from his shoulders, and he credited
Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni for guiding the side to the
long-awaited trophy.
"Scaloni is one of us, he has
great merit," Messi told ESPN. "It was he who selected the
national team, the one who believed, the one who took charge at a
difficult moment. He gave us confidence, he was bringing in new
people, he always knew what he wanted and we grew. From the Copa
América 2019 we took a leap."
A month after Copa America, Messi
completed a shocking move from Barcelona to PSG to start a new
chapter of his club career. He made one appearance for Les Parisiens
as a substitute before returning to international duty with
Argentina.
La Albiceleste scored a 3-1 win over
Venezuela in World Cup qualifying last Thursday before Sunday's
marquee clash with rival Brazil was suspended because of a COVID-19
protocol controversy.
The match was abandoned minutes into it after Brazilian health officials accused four Argentine players of breaking quarantine rules when entering the country.
Messi and Co. finish the international
window Thursday night when they host Bolivia.
Lionel Messi Taunts Yerry Mina After Copa America Shootout Miss: 'Dance Now'
Jul 7, 2021
Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) and teammates celebrate defeating Colombia in a penalty shootout during a Copa America semifinal soccer match at the National stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Lionel Messi was fired up during penalty kicks in Argentina's eventual Copa America semifinal win over Colombia Tuesday, taunting opponent Yerry Mina after the player's attempt was saved:
"Baila ahora," Messi was heard yelling, which translates to "dance now."
Mina, a defender for Everton, is known to dance after scoring goals and showcased his moves after hitting his penalty in a win over Uruguay last round. Messi and Mina were briefly teammates at Barcelona in 2018, but the superstar did not hold back on the trash talk.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also seemingly got in the head of his opponent before the kick:
Martinez saved three of the five penalties he faced on the way to a 3-2 Argentina win in the shootout.
It was enough to send Argentina to the Copa America final against Brazil on Saturday as Messi seeks to add a major international trophy to his resume.
Lionel Messi Honors Diego Maradona After Icon's Death: 'Diego Is Eternal'
Nov 25, 2020
Argentina's coach Diego Maradona, right, and Lionel Messi are seen during a training session of Argentina's soccer team in Buenos Aires, Saturday, May 22, 2010. Argentina will face Canada on Monday in a friendly soccer match in preparation for 2010 World Cup in South Africa. (AP Photo/ Eduardo Di Baia)
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi paid tribute to soccer legend Diego Maradona following his death Wednesday.
Messi posted two photos of himself with Maradona on Instagram with a caption written in Spanish. As part of the post, Messi wrote that Maradona is "eternal."
Maradona's agent, Matias Morla, told EFE that Maradona died of a heart attack at the age of 60 (h/tESPN).
Messi and Maradona are widely regarded as the two biggest stars and most successful players in the history of Argentine soccer.
Maradona notably captained Argentina to a FIFA World Cup triumph in 1986 and led his country to the World Cup final in 1990 as well. His 34 international goals rank fifth for Argentina, and he also managed the national team from 2008-10.
Additionally, Maradona scored 312 goals during his club career, including 38 with Barca and 115 for Italian side Napoli, where he helped capture two Serie A titles.
Messi holds the Argentina record with 71 goals and has scored a remarkable 640 times for Barcelona since 2004, making him arguably the greatest soccer player of all time.
While Messi did help lead Argentina to the World Cup final in 2014, they fell 1-0 to Germany on a goal by Mario Gotze in the 113th minute.
Messi was viewed as the player who would take the torch from Maradona and become the next legendary Argentine soccer player, and there is no question he has accomplished that feat.
