Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has told Lionel Messi on the PSG star’s Instagram ‘you didn’t fail me’ after his heroics for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Playing on football’s biggest stage for one final time, this past weekend, Messi was heading for disaster.
After a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia during Argentina’s opening Group C game, a defeat against rivals Mexico would have meant an early exit for one of the pre-tournament favourites.
For large parts of the game, Argentina were showcasing those same worrying traits that were on show against the Saudis, they needed that moment of magic to lift the thousands cheering them on in Doha.
Up stepped the little magician when he guided the ball into the bottom corner with pure precision from outside of the area, added with Enzo Fernandez’s strike, to guide his team to a much-needed victory.
Villa’s man in between the sticks played his part also because he shared that he ‘suffered a lot’ after that Saudi defeat, as quoted by Goal, but he picked himself back up to secure a clean sheet and was then grateful to Messi for his actions.
SLOW BURNER FOR ARGENTINA
If you are going to lose a game at the World Cup, then the best time to do it is during your opening game.
Argentina will be hoping the best is yet to come for them, and if that’s the case, then it will make them and Messi very dangerous during the knockout stages.
But they have to do the business against Poland for their final group game if they are to progress, as a certain Matty Cash will be hoping to stop Emi Martinez’s side from getting the three points.
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