ATLANTA — Argentina would have been heading home and out of this World Cup if not for Lionel Messi, the report says, after a dramatic turnaround that kept the defending champions in the tournament.
Facing elimination in Atlanta, Argentina trailed Egypt 2-0 with about 10 minutes remaining before Messi intervened. The 39-year-old missed a first-half penalty and had been quiet for much of the match, but he created a goal for Cristian Romero and then equalized five minutes later, scoring his eighth goal of this World Cup, according to the report.
Messi has now scored in each of his past nine World Cup appearances, a record, and moved ahead as the all-time leading World Cup scorer with 21 goals, two more than France’s Kylian Mbappé, the report adds. The story also notes that Messi is listed as an Inter Miami forward.
Questions remain about Argentina beyond Messi’s match-winning abilities. The report points out Argentina’s group opponents were largely lower-ranked — Austria at No. 23 was the highest-ranked team faced in five matches that included Algeria (29), Cape Verde (65), Egypt (24) and Jordan (73). Quarterfinal rivals Switzerland are ranked 15th, while potential later opponents include top-ranked France, England (4), Spain (3), Morocco (6) and Belgium (8).
The report highlights defensive concerns: Argentina conceded five goals across three matches against Jordan, Cape Verde and Egypt. It also notes that Lautaro Martínez, prolific for Inter Milan in Serie A, has scored only twice in seven appearances for Argentina this year. The story says Argentina must prove it has a Plan B and cannot rely on Messi to rescue the side every time.
