Argentina's star footballer Lionel Messi to call it quits, with the FIFA World Cup Final reportedly marking his last game for the nation.
Argentina, one of the favourites in the FIFA World Cup 2022, has advanced to the final after a hard-fought 3-0 victory over Croatia in the semi-finals. The team's journey to the final, however, has not been without its challenges.
Before the World Cup, Argentina had been unbeaten in 36 matches. But doubts crept in after their unexpected loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening game in Qatar. The loss was a wake-up call for the team, and they bounced back strongly, winning every game since.
Lionel Messi, Argentina's captain and star player, has been instrumental in the team's success. He scored two goals in the semi-final against Croatia, extending his top scorer statistics in this tournament. Messi has now scored 5 goals in the ongoing World Cup, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta's record of 10 World Cup goals for Argentina. With these goals, Messi has become Argentina's leading goalscorer in the tournament, with a total of 11 goals.
Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez also contributed to Argentina's victory, scoring two goals and bringing his total in the tournament to four.
Messi, who announced that the 2022 FIFA World Cup final will be his last game for Argentina, urged his teammates to enjoy the celebration after the semi-final victory. "Argentina are, once again, World Cup final. Enjoy it!," he said.
Argentina will face either Morocco or France in the World Cup final. The location of the final is the Lusail Arena, and the match will take place on Sunday.
Messi, reflecting on his World Cup journey, told Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole that he feels happy to have achieved this and to finish his World Cup journey by playing his last game in a final.
The World Cup final promises to be an exciting and emotional match, as Argentina looks to lift the trophy for the third time in their history. Messi and his teammates will be hoping to make history and bring the World Cup back to Argentina.
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