Lionel Messi and Argentina cannot lose when they face Poland on Wednesday or their World Cup will be over. Ariel Schalit/Associated Press
DOHA, Qatar — Lionel Messi has already come to Argentina’s rescue at the World Cup. He might just have to do it all over again.
Another emotionally charged evening awaits Messi and the soccer-mad South American nation that worships him when Argentina meets Poland on Wednesday for a match with so much on the line.
For Messi, who is playing in likely his last World Cup. For Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, who might also be too old when soccer’s biggest tournament rolls around next in 2026.
And for the World Cup as a whole. Because who really doesn’t want to see Messi – one of the game’s greatest ever players – in the late stages of a tournament that is heating up so nicely.
There are multiple scenarios at play for the Group C finale. A win for the Argentines and they are sure to advance, likely as the group winners. A draw, and they can either finish in second place behind Poland or be squeezed out by either Saudi Arabia or Mexico, who are playing in a match taking place concurrently.
A loss? Well, that just doesn’t bear thinking about for anyone associated with Argentina. The team wouldn’t just be eliminated but humiliated. Messi might never be seen in the Albiceleste’s sky blue-and-white jersey again.
That scenario is too much for Argentina fans to take. It’s why tears were shed on the field, among the technical staff and among the fanbase after Messi scored the crucial second-half goal to set Argentina on its way to a 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday.
That victory meant Argentina bounced back from its shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening match and now has a fighting chance to avoiding a first group-stage exit since 2002.
“Now another World Cup has begun,” said Messi, who will hope to score for the third straight match at this World Cup and has netted 13 goals for Argentina in 2022 — already a career-high haul in a single calendar year.
Concerns about Messi’s health have dogged the seven-time world player of the year at the World Cup, starting from when he trained alone for two days before Argentina’s opening game. He played the full 90 minutes against Saudi Arabia and also in the Mexico game, which he finished in some discomfort after turning his ankle late in the match.
Messi later confirmed it was nothing serious. But it only adds to the worries about the physical wellbeing of a 35-year-old player who is clearly pacing himself during matches, picking and choosing his moments to explode into life.
Still, he has scored in both of the team’s games and is used to coming through in the big moments for Argentina.
A TOP QATARI official involved in the country’s World Cup organization has put the number of worker deaths for the tournament “between 400 and 500” for the first time, a drastically higher number than any other previously offered by Doha.
The comment by Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary-general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, appeared to come off the cuff during an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan.
It also threatened to reinvigorate criticism by human rights groups over the toll of hosting the Middle East’s first World Cup for the migrant labor that built over $200 billion worth of stadiums, metro lines and new infrastructure needed for the tournament.
In the interview, portions of which Morgan posted online, the British journalist asks al-Thawadi: “What is the honest, realistic total do you think of migrant workers who died from – as a result of work they’re doing for the World Cup in totality?”
“The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500,” al-Thawadi responds. “I don’t have the exact number. That’s something that’s been discussed.”
NEYMAR WILL MISS Brazil’s last group game because of his right ankle injury, the team doctor said.
Rodrigo Lasmar said the Brazil forward will not recover in time to face Cameroon in the Group G game on Friday.
Neymar missed Monday’s game against Switzerland, when Brazil won 1-0 to secure its spot in the round of 16. A draw against Cameroon will be enough to give Brazil first place in the group.
A DISCIPLINARY CASE case was opened against Croatia at the World Cup after the team’s fans taunted a Canada player with Serbian family ties.
FIFA said the charge against the Croatian soccer federation was “due to the behavior of its fans” and cited rules relating to discrimination and security at games.
Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan was born in an ethnic Serbian region of Croatia that was part of the conflict which split the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Borjan’s family left their hometown in 1995 when it was taken by Croatian forces amid stories that ethnic Serbs fled on tractors.
During Canada’s 4-1 loss on Sunday, one banner displayed by Croatia fans used a flag of tractor manufacturer John Deere and changed the marketing slogan to target Borjan.
Borjan moved as a child with his family to Canada and chose to represent that country, though he plays for Serbian club Red Star Belgrade.
THE PLAYERS FOR both England and Wales took a knee before their final group game.
The teams made the gesture as a sign of solidarity in the fight against discrimination.
England and Wales were among seven European nations that had intended to have their captains wear “One Love” armbands in support of inclusivity at the tournament in Qatar. But they had to abandon those plans after FIFA threatened sporting sanctions for any captain that wore them.
England Coach Gareth Southgate said his players would take a knee at the start of the tournament. The team did it at all three Group B matches in Qatar. Wales only did it Tuesday.
“We feel this is the biggest and we think it’s a strong statement that will go around the world for young people, in particular, to see that inclusivity is very important,” Southgate said.
Additionally, the U.K.’s first openly gay sports minister attended the game and wore the armband.
Stuart Andrew said he decided to wear it in support of inclusivity at sporting events.
“Sport has the power to unite & inspire,” Andrew wrote on Twitter, adding it was “vital” that all sporting events are open and inclusive.
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