World Cup’s apex players: Argentina’s Messi and Alvarez
Al JazeeraLionel Messi scored a penalty then set up two goals for Julian Alvarez for a 3-0 win in the semifinal against Croatia. The bad news for whoever faces Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final is that footballing magician Lionel Messi now has an apprentice in 22-year-old Julian Alvarez who scored twice in Argentina’s commanding semifinal win over Croatia. Messi scored a penalty and then set up two goals for Alvarez, sealing a 3-0 defeat of the Croats that advanced Argentina to Sunday’s final against either France or Morocco. Alvarez, who became the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick for Brazil in 1958, now has four goals so far in this World Cup tournament, placing him just one behind joint top scorers Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe. We’re in the final, which is what we wanted and now we need to rest and hope for a great game on Sunday,” Alvarez said after the Croatia match, and what was his greatest night so far wearing the famous light blue and white striped jersey.