Messi, 35, has a sackful of trophies however the match in Qatar is more likely to be his ultimate probability to equal the achievement of fellow Argentine nice Diego Maradona in main his nation to World Cup glory.
A record-breaking hat-trick from Lionel Messi earned Argentina a 3-0 dwelling win over Bolivia in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on 9 September 2021. Picture: @FIFAWorldCup/Twitter.
DOHA, QATAR – Argentina and famous person Lionel Messi arrived in Qatar for the World Cup early on Thursday, simply hours after a 5-0 warm-up victory, whereas defending champions France have additionally touched down in Doha.
Messi, 35, has a sackful of trophies however the match in Qatar is more likely to be his ultimate probability to equal the achievement of fellow Argentine nice Diego Maradona in main his nation to World Cup glory.
He landed with the Argentina squad in the Qatari capital Doha at 2:30am (2330 GMT, Wednesday) from Abu Dhabi the place they’d overwhelmed the United Arab Emirates 5-0 Wednesday in a pleasant in which Messi scored.
One of the favourites going into this yr’s World Cup, the South Americans will start their marketing campaign on Tuesday towards Saudi Arabia in Group C, which additionally consists of Mexico and Poland.
The 1978 and 1986 World Cup winners prolonged their unbeaten run to 36 matches as Messi scored his 91st worldwide objective.
Messi was cautious in regards to the staff’s probabilities in Qatar, despite the fact that they’re among the many favourites.
“We have a very nice group that is very eager, but we think about going little by little. We know that World Cup groups are not easy,” the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner stated in an interview with CONMEBOL, the South American soccer federation.
CHAMPIONS ARRIVE
France arrived in Doha on Wednesday, looking for to grow to be the primary staff to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.
Ten members of the 2018 title-winning squad are in the squad, together with captain Hugo Lloris, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
But the defending champions, grouped with Australia, Denmark and Tunisia, are with out first-choice midfield pair Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.
Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who has missed a sequence of video games for Real Madrid this season due to harm, is about for his first World Cup look since 2014.
The United States return to soccer’s prime desk after an eight-year absence and Christian Pulisic says this World Cup is a chance to vary international perceptions of American soccer.
“That’s what we’re here to do,” Pulisic advised AFP. “Maybe it hasn’t been the top sport or whatever back in the States.
“But we wish to change the best way that the world sees American soccer. That’s one in all our objectives.”
The build-up to the tournament in Qatar has been dominated by concerns over Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community.
Pleas from football’s world governing body FIFA for a switch of focus to football have gone unheeded by some countries.
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said on Wednesday supporters boycotting the tournament were “proper to do this” but hoped his team would do enough to persuade fans at home to follow them from afar.
“I hope that we play so implausible that on the finish of the match once we play the ultimate they shall look on tv and see how good we’re.”
The veteran coach hit out at FIFA earlier this year, calling its decision to award Qatar the World Cup “ridiculous”.
“I feel it’s important to play in soccer nations. (They have) extra expertise with the whole lot,” he said on Wednesday.
FAKE FANS ROW
England supporters from India outnumbered fans from England nearly 10 to one as Gareth Southgate’s team rolled into their World Cup base on Tuesday.
The supporters said they were angered by reports in the British and French media that they were “pretend followers”.
Sajidh, 29, said Indian football fans in Qatar had been “outraged” by reports suggesting they had been paid to wear the shirts of World Cup nations.
“It is only pretend information and I wish to say loud and clear that none of us have been paid in any manner,” added Sajidh, who gave only one name.
“We are diehard England followers.”
World Cup organisers weighed in on the issue on Wednesday, saying supporters from across the world had contributed to the local atmosphere.
“Numerous journalists and commentators on social media have questioned whether or not these are ‘actual’ followers,” they said in a statement.
“We completely reject these assertions, that are each disappointing and unsurprising.”