Lionel Messi, the Argentine talisman, stirred his national team to the iconic third World title, completing the quest for the accolade and claiming the most-awaited world champion title after three decades. The Inter Miami star has also won the ‘TIMES Athlete of the Year’ 2023.
Apart from his goal-scoring prowess, Messi is equally skilled when it comes to his creative playmaking abilities. He stands as the highest assist provider of all time in soccer history, a feat highlighted by his brilliant assists at the Qatar World Cup.
Lionel Messi decoded his brilliant World Cup assist against Netherlands
Lionel Messi was adjudged the best player in the tournament following his exhilarating outing in Qatar and won the Golden Ball Award. He became the first-ever player to win five Man of the Match awards in a single World Cup. In total, he contributed 10 goals throughout the campaign.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner made 21 key passes, ending up as the top assist provider of the tournament. He provided three assists, with one of them coming in the quarterfinal fixture.
In the match, Messi linked up with Atletico Madrid’s right-back Nahuel Molina, exchanging passes with the captain, who created a cheeky through ball for Molina to finish it at the back of the net, providing a lead to his side.
The Inter Miami star, during his interaction with TV Publica, revealed how he executed the assist.
Messi said, “Yes, I saw him, I saw him keep running. I understood that the natural thing at that moment was to pass the ball to the side.”
“I thought it was appropriate to deliver it to him because I thought the defense was expecting something different. I did not hear him, but I saw him,” he further added.
Argentina beat Netherlands in World Cup classic on this day
On this day, a year ago, in a highly anticipated World Cup clash, Argentina faced the Netherlands in the quarter-final at the Qatar World Cup on December 10, 2022. La Albiceleste was led by Messi, who scored his first-ever World Cup knockout goal in the tournament, managing a hard-fought victory on penalties.
The Copa America champions opened the scoreline with Molina’s goal in the 35th minute, breaking the deadlock. Later, in the 73rd minute, Messi doubled their lead with a spot-kick until the Dutch forward Wout Weghorst’s brace in added time dragged it into extra time.
It remained 2-2 until the end of extra time. Following that, Argentina got the better of the Netherlands, advancing to the semi-final to face Croatia and subsequently beating France in the final to lift the trophy.
What do you think of Lionel Messi’s performances in the 2023 World Cup? Make sure to let us know in the comments section.
