As per usual, Lionel Messi is going draw plenty of attention for everything he does at the 2022 World Cup, especially considering he has hinted that this will be his last go-around on this stage. And it didn’t take long for him to enter the spotlight in Argentina’s first match in Qatar—although the end result was far from what he and his country expected.
Messi scored on a penalty kick 10 minutes into La Albiceleste’s shocking 2–1 defeat to Saudi Arabia, becoming Argentina’s first player to score in four World Cups. Messi had been denied a goal in the opening moments by Mohammed Al-Owais, but after a VAR review gifted Argentina a penalty minutes later, the 35-year-old all-time great delivered. Al-Owais went to his left, and early, allowing Messi to casually roll home his goal.
