World Cup: the two milestones in World Cups that Lionel Messi reaches (and the feat of his squire Julián Álvarez to match up with Pelé)

• Writing
• BBC News World

2 hours

image source, Getty Images

Teacher and student, Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez gave a dream concert for Argentina.

The couple scored the goals in the 3-0 of the Albiceleste contra Croatia this Tuesday, a result that leads the South Americans to the World Cup final the Qatar 2022.

And both players Messi, 35, and Álvarez, 22they also achieved new personal bests.

In the case of Messi, he scored a penalty his 11th goal in five World Cups with Argentina.

That makes him the Albiceleste’s top scorer in the World Cups, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta,who had 10 goals in three world championships.

The game once morest Croatia was the 25th for the Argentine captain, with which equals the German Lothar Matthäus as the footballers with the most games played in the World Cups.

image source, Archyde.com

Caption,

Messi scored the 11th goal of his career in World Cups from a penalty.

MisterChip, the soccer statistics expert, also highlighted that Messi has generated 11 goals and 9 assists, so 20 goals have gone through his boots.

“He becomes the first player with direct participation in twenty goals in the entire history of the World Cup,” the commentator wrote on Twitter.

Julian’s party

Born in the year 2000, Julián Álvarez also had a very special night this Tuesday in Doha.

He made it 2-0 for Argentina once morest Croatia in a fast counterattack in which he ran 50 meters to beat two defenders and the goalkeeper.

image source, Archyde.com

Caption,

Álvarez scored twice, in a brilliant performance from the 22-year-old.

Later he was in charge of finishing a spectacular play by Messi, who took away all the rivals and provided a perfect assist so that Álvarez only had to push the ball into the back of the rival goal.

His brace once morest Croatia puts him alongside the likes of Pelé, Carlos Peucelle and Gyula Zsengeller as the youngest players to score a double in a World Cup semifinal.

Argentina will play on Sunday once morest the winner of this Wednesday’s semifinal between France and Morocco.

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