Messi Reaches Final: "Lost First Match but Trusted the Team"

Led 3-0 Victory in Semifinal with 1 Goal and 1 Assist
"We Know Who We Are and What We Can Do"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

"Although we lost the first match, I believed in the team and played every game as if it were the final." This is the sentiment of Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain), who led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar. On the 14th (Korean time), Argentina defeated Croatia 3-0 in the tournament's semifinal match held at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, powered by Messi's 1 goal and 1 assist. On the 15th, they will face the winner of the France vs. Morocco semifinal, and on the 19th, they will compete for the championship at Lusail Stadium.

Captain Messi started as usual. This was his twenty-fifth World Cup match, tying the all-time record for most appearances held by Lothar Matth?us (Germany). He scored the opening goal in the 32nd minute of the first half. Julian Alvarez (Manchester City) earned a penalty through aggressive dribbling, which Messi powerfully converted with his right foot. This was his fifth goal of the tournament, putting him joint top scorer alongside Kylian Mbapp? (France). It was his eleventh World Cup goal overall, placing him joint 6th in the all-time rankings. In the 24th minute of the second half, with the score at 2-0, he assisted the clinching goal. From the right side of the penalty area, he skillfully evaded Josko Gvardiol (Leipzig) and passed directly to Alvarez, who was right in front of the goal. After confirming their place in the final, Messi embraced his teammates with a bright smile, savoring the victory.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

After the match, Messi cited trust among teammates as the driving force behind reaching the final in an interview with Argentina's TyC Sports. "Before the World Cup started, most people did not consider us strong contenders for the title, but we knew who we were and what we could do," he said. He added, "Many things can happen in football, but we gave our best and will fight until the end," reaffirming his determination.

Argentina lost their opening match of the tournament 1-2 to Saudi Arabia but then secured consecutive wins against Mexico (2-0) and Poland (2-0), finishing first in Group C. They advanced smoothly to the semifinals by defeating Australia (2-1) in the round of 16 and the Netherlands (2-2, winning 4-3 on penalties) in the quarterfinals. With this latest victory, they are just one win away from their first championship in 36 years since the 1986 Mexico tournament. For Messi, now in his mid-thirties, this is effectively the last chance to bring the trophy home to his country.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.