In 2016, Lionel Messi retired from international football.
In the aftermath of a defeat by Chile in the Copa America final, in which Messi missed a penalty in the shootout as Argentina lost a fourth major final in nine years, he could not take any more pain.
Interestingly, 10 years later, two days before his 39th birthday,he is still playing for reigning world champions Argentina, and has also become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
His decision to reverse that international retirement has led to a glorious era of success for Messi and his nation.
They have won the past two Copa America tournaments and, in 2022, captain Messi guided them to the World Cup, scoring seven goals – including two in the final – as they won the tournament for the third time, but the first since 1986.
On Monday, 40 years to the day since Diego Maradona scored twice in a 2-1 quarter-final win over England, Messi was again rewriting football’s record books with both goals in a 2-0 victory against Austria.
An eighth-minute penalty miss was not a great start, but that was forgotten about 30 minutes later with a low strike for his 17th World Cup goal, to move him clear of Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the outright top scorer in tournament history.
The 18th was not too far away either, with him scoring in second-half stoppage time, squeezing the ball past two Austria defenders from a tight angle.
That is now 18 goals in 28 World Cup games. You would be foolish to bet against him scoring more, especially with Jordan to come and with Argentina already guaranteed a last-32 place.
Messi is appearing at his sixth World Cup and has scored 13 tournament goals since reversing that decision to retire from international football.
Remarkably, 12 of his 18 goals on football’s greatest stage have come since he turned 35. Fourteen of those 18 have been struck with his left foot, and four have come from outside the box.
“He is enjoying it and this is the best thing,” added Balague. “I have seen him play World Cups where he couldn’t last 90 minutes. Here at the end, he was running like anyone else, now he knows his body so well.
…Mbappe Inspires France To Emphatic Win Against Iraq
Kylian Mbappe scored twice to move joint-second in the all-time World Cup goalscoring list as France cruised past Iraq in a weather-delayed game in Philadelphia.
Mbappe netted early in both halves to take his World Cup goals tally to 16 in 16 games, two shy of Lionel Messi who broke Miroslav Klose’s record hours earlier.
France v Iraq became the first match at this World Cup to be interrupted by severe weather, with the second half beginning more than two hours after the first period ended because of lightning strikes in the area.
Heavy rainfall earlier in the day had delayed supporters’ entry to Philadelphia Stadium, although the match kicked off on time.
France began strongly and their early dominance was rewarded in the 14th minute when Mbappe arrowed a left-footed strike into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area.
But the 2018 champions struggled to create any clear chances after the first-half hydration break, with Iraq able to enjoy longer spells of possession despite losing striker and captain Aymen Hussein to injury.
France emerged from the extended break with renewed conviction but were gifted a second goal – Iraq keeper Ahmed Basil failed to control a short goal-kick taken by defender Zaid Tahseen and Ousmane Dembele teed up Mbappe for a simple finish.
Les Bleus had further chances to extend their lead – Adrien Rabiot missed a clear header and Michael Olise hit the crossbar with an audacious dink – before Dembele scored their third with a strike into the bottom corner.
The goal – set up by a brilliant outside-of-the-foot pass from Olise – was Dembele’s first for France at a major tournament in his 20th appearance.
Iraq created two decent chances in the final 20 minutes, but defender Rebin Sulaka volleyed over from Zidane Iqbal’s corner before Ali Al Hamadi couldn’t get on the end of a teasing Marko Farji cross.
Mbappe then raced clear late on and looked set to complete his hat-trick, but he lashed a left-footed effort high and wide.
France, who are bidding to reach a third successive World Cup final, are top of Group I with six points while Iraq are bottom with zero.
…Haaland’s Brace Against Senegal Land Norway In Round Of 32
Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway booked their place in the last 32 of the World Cup with victory over Senegal in New Jersey.
After just two games in the competition, the Manchester City striker has now scored twice as many goals (four) as any other Norway player in World Cup history.
Full-back Marcus Pederson, on as an early substitute, capitalised on a poor clearance from Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly to put Norway 1-0 up late in the first half – before Haaland took over in the second.
He raced on to Martin Odegaard’s incisive through ball to double the lead in the 48th minute – becoming Norway’s all-time top scorer at World Cups in the process – before Ismaila Sarr pulled a goal back to give Senegal hope.
But Haaland restored his team’s two-goal cushion five minutes later with a calmly taken side-foot volley which went in off the bar.
Haaland has now scored in 12 consecutive competitive matches for Norway, registering at least two goals in each of the past six.
Sarr struck again in injury time to set up a nervy finale and the Crystal Palace winger could have equalised in the final seconds but put his header over the bar.
However, Stale Solbakken’s Norway had been much the better side, even in a somewhat scrappy first half, and held on for a second straight win that means they have qualified from Group I alongside France.
Senegal must beat Iraq in their last group game to have any chance of reaching the knockout stages.
BBC
