Messi

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi bent over, clutched his left hamstring and appeared to grimace, immediately spreading panic through the soccer world but ...

He is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick in 1958. He only took the place of Lautaro Martinez in the third group game and now has four goals, one behind Messi and Mbappé. Messi became Argentina’s record scorer at World Cups with his third penalty of the tournament taking him to 11 goals in total — one more than Gabriel Batistuta. Was he going to have to come off early in the “Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.” “A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said in a post-match interview on the field as he looked up at Argentina’s celebrating, scarf-waving supporters.

Defying age and his opponents, Lionel Messi gets a little help from his friends as Argentina advances to the World Cup final.

It was Messi who made the first goal and scored the second against the Dutch, and then it was Messi who stepped up and took the first penalty in the shootout. Lionel Scaloni’s team had one of those against the Dutch, and had thrown it away. Against Croatia, too, it was Messi who proved the decisive figure. It was Messi who took fiery exception to the presence of Wout Weghorst, the Dutch striker, in a post-match interview. Luka Modric, that other generational talent trying to stave off the final curtain, had established his authority over the midfield. It was Messi who opened the scoring against Australia in the round of 16. There has been an intensity to Messi, these last few weeks, that has not always been apparent in the latter stages of his career. Since that loss to the Saudis, he said, Argentina has “faced five finals, and been fortunate to win all five.” It was Messi who confronted the entire Netherlands coaching staff after Argentina had emerged victorious from an irascible, volatile quarterfinal. Here’s a primer to the Messi is not here because he needs a World Cup to be remembered as a great. Instead, he held them perfectly still, caught in a moment of quiet communion between the divine and his congregation.

Ten years ago, Argentina forward Julian Alvarez was a 12-year-old dreaming of playing in the World Cup alongside his idol Lionel Messi.

Alvarez has now scored four goals in his first World Cup, becoming only the second Argentinian to score four goals at a single edition of the World Cup at the age 22 or younger -- the first one being Gonzalo Higuaín, who scored four goals in 2010. Alvarez got his first goal of the night five minutes later after receiving the ball from Messi in his own half. "[I feel] a lot of happiness to be able to achieve this. Ten years ago, Argentina forward Julian Alvarez was a 12-year-old dreaming of playing in the World Cup alongside his idol Lionel Messi. That became his 11th goal in World Cup competition, which helped him overtake Gabriel Batistuta as the all-time World Cup leading scorer for Argentina. During the 32nd minute, Alvarez was looking to score the first goal of the match but was fouled by goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

Lionel Messi has confirmed he will play his last World Cup game when Argentina take on France or Morocco in Sunday's final in Qatar.

"We're just one step away, after fighting hard, and we're going to give everything to try to make it happen this time." "It's many years for the next one and I don't think I'll be able to do it. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Tom Westbrook. A vintage performance from skipper Lionel Messi took the World Cup semi away from ...

Wall Street traders did their best last night to jam the cork back in the champagne after an encouraging U.S. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story That leaves the focus on Powell's remarks and on the "dot plot" projections for where interest rates are likely to head in the next few months.

LUSAIL, Qatar — (AP) — Lionel Messi bent over, clutched his left hamstring and appeared to grimace, immediately spreading panic through the soccer world but ...

He is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick in 1958. He only took the place of Lautaro Martinez in the third group game and now has four goals, one behind Messi and Mbappé. Messi became Argentina’s record scorer at World Cups with his third penalty of the tournament taking him to 11 goals in total — one more than Gabriel Batistuta. Was he going to have to come off early in the “Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.” “A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said in a post-match interview on the field as he looked up at Argentina’s celebrating, scarf-waving supporters.

AL DAAYEN, Qatar — Argentina and Lionel Messi have done it yet again. The South American powerhouse will play in the World Cup final after defeating Croatia ...

[FIFA set up a trio of condolence books](https://twitter.com/fifamedia/status/1602726155731222528) with the pictures of each journalist at the media center at Lusail Stadium. [Morocco](https://www.npr.org/2022/12/13/1142278928/morocco-world-cup-history-team-profile) on Sunday. [Calmly and coolly](https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1602748996967366657), he punched the ball high and to the right giving his side a 1-0 lead. [Roger Pearce](https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-11-22/itv-pays-tribute-to-technical-director-roger-pearce-after-death-at-world-cup) died last month. A photojournalist with Al Kass TV, [Khalid al-Misslam](https://www.gulf-times.com/article/651322/qatar/al-kass-tv-photojournalist-khalid-al-misslam-passed-away), 'died suddenly' this past weekend. He collapsed in the press tribune as the game was underway. The South American powerhouse will play in the [World Cup](https://www.npr.org/series/1134840606/fifa-world-cup-2022) final after defeating Croatia 3-0. In the 69th minute, Messi had a flash of unbelievable ballhandling against Croatia defender Joško Gvardiol on the right side of the goal. The last time Argentina won the World Cup was in 1986. Messi then found Álvarez who powered it in for the 3-0 lead. It will play in the third place match on Saturday against the loser of tomorrow's semifinal. And it is the sixth time it has advanced to a final.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup final between France and Argentina will see the tournament's two biggest stars, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, go head to head.

He can score a lot of goals, he's a very complete player and he's been showing that for years. With time very much on his side, Mbappe could plausibly go on to break Pele's record of three World Cup titles in the years ahead. He's a beast.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will meet in the World Cup final as Argentina faces France and Twitter is going nuts because of it.

[has been phenomenal in Qatar](https://clutchpoints.com/world-cup-news-lionel-messi-immediate-reaction-to-dominant-win-over-croatia-to-reach-final), scoring five goals and assisting three. Mbappe meanwhile has netted five times and tallied two assists. This isn’t the first time Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe face off on the big stage. [December 14, 2022] The World Cup Final is set and boy, do we have a treat. The fact that two of the best players in the world who light it up on a weekly basis domestically will share the pitch as opponents has Twitter going absolutely nuts.

Hernandez scored France's opening goal in the 2-0 semi-final win over Morocco to set up the decider against Argentina.

France saw off a heroic Morocco on Wednesday night to set up a mouth-watering tie with Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.

World Cup Messi: This will be my last World Cup Neutrals will hope for a similar clash to the last time the two sides met at the World Cup in 2018. Dalic hopes Modric will continue with Croatia after World Cup

LUSAIL, Qatar — At the end of the semifinal symphony that he had conducted, after the bear hugs and amid the instant euphoria, Lionel Messi shuffled into ...

Lionel Messi, one of the most extraordinary individual soccer talents the world will ever know, will seek his destiny against the imposing battalion of a ...

[ FIFA World Cup 2022](/stories/soccer/world-cup-2022-odds-france-opens-as-favorite-over-argentina) But France's master plan for Messi and whether the little maestro has one last World Cup hurrah loud enough to conquer it? Of course, he is one of the best in the world and has shown that. And this is the right opponent, reigning champion [France](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/france-men-team), and there's no valid argument to be made otherwise. Well, there lies the contest. He knows Deschamps' mind is whirring with ways to stop him, even in the immediate hours following France's semifinal victory. When, at the end of that game in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, a Mario Goetze goal was the only difference and Messi received the Golden Ball awarded to the best player of the tournament, it almost felt like an insult. Messi, one of the most extraordinary individual soccer talents the world will ever know, will seek his destiny against the imposing battalion of a near-perfect team. Sometimes it was Philip Lahm crossing his path and slowing his stride. Eight years ago, Messi endured one of the most frustrating nights of his career. Or is it? [World Cup](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/2022-fifa-world-cup) final ( [Sunday, 10 a.m.

The last box to check on Lionel Messi's list of soccer accomplishments is a World Cup title. On Sunday, there's no more fitting opponent he and Argentina ...

[CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP](https://www.foxnews.com/apps-products?pid=AppArticleLink) Of course, he is one of the best in the world and has shown that. He knows Deschamps' mind is whirring with ways to stop him, even in the immediate hours following France's semifinal win. Messi, because this is at the root of everything he does, will look for the same. Well, there lies the contest. But the big story will be When, at the end of that game in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, a Mario Goetze goal was the only difference and Messi received the Golden Ball awarded to the best player of the tournament, it almost felt like an insult. Eight years ago, Messi endured one of the most frustrating nights of his career. Messi, one of the most extraordinary individual soccer talents the world will ever known, will seek his destiny against the imposing battalion of a near-perfect team. And this is the right opponent, reigning champion France, and there's no valid argument to be made otherwise. "Messi has been in scintillating form since the beginning of the tournament," Deschamps said. They did it four years ago in Russia, and they're after it again.

Argentina's Lionel Messi, left, scored one goal and Julián Álvarez, right, added two more in their team's 3-0 World Cup semifinal win over Croatia on Wednesday ...

“To start in such a way in a World Cup was a test for the whole team. “To see the fans — ‘the family’ — during the whole tournament was so incredible. “He’s probably the best in the world. “The first match was a hard blow,” he said. “We know how to suffer when it’s necessary, how to have the ball when it’s needed. 3 in the world, its best showing in six years, and it came to Qatar riding a 36-game unbeaten streak, the second longest of all time. That was two World Cups ago; Messi didn’t retire and the stress only has grown. He was named the tournament’s best player, but Germany was the best team. He was the tournament’s second-leading scorer on a team that finished second. “What I can say is that I am enjoying this a lot,” he said after Tuesday’s win, the hint of a smile where a grimace usually is. In 2014, his only other World Cup final, Messi vomited on the field late in a 1-0 loss to Germany. Culturally and linguistically, it is part of the Arab world.

Olivier Giroud has said that Lionel Messi is “an incredible player” but that France “will not let him enjoy” the World Cup final because they will “try ...

“There isn’t only Messi, they have a strong side around him. GO DEEPER That’s why they are so strong.” They have great players who work for the team also. [France beat Morocco 2-0 on Wednesday](https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/france-vs-morocco-world-cup-2022-live-score-updates-result/Axl7Hyrg7P6g/) and will attempt to become the first country to retain the World Cup for 60 years when they take on Argentina, [who defeated Croatia to reach the final](https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/argentina-vs-croatia-world-cup-2022-live-score-updates-result/ldoUqeyrESKt/).

One more game for Lionel Messi to weave his magic and pull one last 90 minutes of sublime genius out of the hat and join Diego Maradona, Pele, Zinedine Zidane ...

Messi, as he has done throughout the tournament, varied between walking and shuffling, waiting for the exact moment to make his mark on the game. Make no mistake about it, this Argentina team without Messi wouldn’t be anywhere close to competing in a sixth World Cup final. A man comfortable in his own skin and where he stands within this Argentina team and his role as captain and, ultimately, saving grace. Maradona did it in 1986 and 1990, and Messi is inevitably compared to Maradona, whether deep down he likes it or not. That nagging feeling that, yes, he won everything with Barcelona and on an individual level, but the World Cup was the one thing missing. The proof has been in that pudding for a long time already.