When Messi lifted the trophy at the last World Cup, I thought that the Argentine star would retire from the national team for two reasons: his age and his desire to leave at his peak, after tirelessly chasing the World Cup. However, the number ten, who will turn 39 on the 24th, took to the field against Algeria, in Kansas City, and reached the sixth World Cup of his career, the first athlete to achieve the feat. In addition, he scored three winning goals for Scaloni’s team.
Present in World Cups since 2006, Messi achieved the first hat trick of his career in the competition and, as a bonus, equaled German Klose, record holder for goals in World Cups with 16. Certainly, one of the greatest players of all time will find the net more often. Argentina’s group also consists of Austria and Jordan who, in the early hours of the morning, played an average duel, won by the Europeans 2-1.
Following Messi will be, again, Mbappé. Despite all the French “bankroll”, whether you like them or not, Deschamps’ team, besides Argentina, is the most qualified to put on a show at the World Cup, as it has the best squad. After a goalless first half against Senegal, in New Jersey, the world runners-up came together at half-time and made it 3-1. By finding the net twice, Mbappé overtook his legendary compatriot Just Fontaine (born in Morocco), still the top French scorer in a single World Cup with 13 goals. The current star is now 14. He moved away from Pelé, with 12, and was still ahead of Messi, who was 13, before his World Cup debut against Algeria.
The French newspaper The Team highlighted: “Remembrance and relief“. Mbappé is now the French team’s top scorer with 59 goals, surpassing Giroud. For now, the lead in Group I belongs to Norway’s “comet” Haaland, who scored twice in the 4-1 victory over Iraq in Boston, and is out of the spotlight in the World Cup.
This Wednesday (17), on the last day of the first round, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kane and Modric enter the field:
- 2pm – Portugal x DR Congo – Group K – Houston
- 5pm – England x Croatia – Group L – Dallas
- 8pm – Ghana x Panama – Group L – Toronto
- 11pm – Uzbekistan x Colombia – Group K – Mexico City
Not to go unnoticed, today is the anniversary of one of the Brazilian team’s five achievements. In 1962, the team led by Aymoré Moreira beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 in Santiago and became two-time world champions. Listen to the commemorative album from Rádio Panamericana:
