Saudi Arabia Down Argentina to Pull off Historic Upset at World Cup #1617

Saudi Arabia 2 Argentina 1

Lionel Messi is largely considered by the populace as the greatest of all time. There are other names you can throw into that hat. I’ve always said 67% of football fans believe that Lionel Messi is the goat. However, in the Argentina shirt, he has been harshly criticized for what has felt like eons of time. The unfair reality of the comparisons to Diego Maradona. While Lionel Messi is the superior player in the general sense, the pressure of Diego Maradona and what he was able to do with the Argentine national team has always proceeded Lionel Messi. With Argentina, Lionel Messi fair or not, has been considered a failure until quite recently. The one thing that can elevate Lionel Messi over everyone else in football history is winning with Argentina. Lionel Messi’s Argentina is constantly coming up short in finals in the Copa America and the World Cup. Some of which in his own doing, others in which he has done everything in his power to change everything. Lionel Messi had lost six straight finals with Argentina before. He finally got it right. The 2021 Copa America was his finest moment with Argentina. After all that failure over and over again, with him being the scapegoat for all of it, he finally got it done. It got so bad at some stage after his missed penalty in the shootout for Argentina against Chile. He retired. It got so outraged that even there were those burning his memorabilia over frustration. Saying he’ll never be Diego Maradona. Be constant pressure that not even being the greatest is enough. He has to be more than that. Eventually, he got there though, winning the Copa America, with Argentina being the top score player of the tournament and had the most assists. Against Brazil and Neymar, they got it done. A goal from di Maria saw Messi. Finally, lift with Argentina. His crowning achievement on the international stage. However, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s careers, World Cup glory is one thing they have lacked. Ronaldo made a semifinal in 2006. Lionel Messi made the final in 2014. Neither of them has been able to deliver on the world stage in the way we would have liked. While you can identify incredible performances from Lionel Messi and Christiana Ronaldo at World cups. They have severely folded under pressure in the knockout rounds. They haven’t been able to deliver on the same level of impact as they’ve managed to do so successfully at club level in qualifying. Both of them are at their apex. However, for some reason, when it comes to the World Cup, neither of them has delivered in the way you would expect Two of the all-time grades in history, but the World Cup is in. Continues to be that one thing that proceeds them. There’s not a lot of opportunities left for these two. This is the last opportunity right here right now for this winter World Cup in Qatar. The Michael Jordan documentary in 2020 coined the phrase the last dance. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have their own last dance sitting in front of them. It would be a crowning achievement in their incredible careers. While Portugal or talented Ronaldo doesn’t have a high probability of winning the World Cup. Lionel, Messi, and Argentina, however, are the favorites to do it among them. At least. It will also be the last for Neymar, Luka Modric, and many others. However, for the two goats of the game, this is their last chance their last opportunity. Argentina nearly missed out on the World Cup in 2018. It took a Lionel Messi hat trick to get there in the end. They still almost didn’t qualify through the knockout stage. Croatia ripped them apart and almost had to settle for a draw against Iceland as Lionel Messi missed the penalty and nearly were beaten by Nigeria as they won. In the end. They went down swinging in one of the most exciting games of the 2018 World Cup, but they did fall short, losing to eventual champions France. In the round of 16. Ronaldo had the same fate against Uruguay. This tournament is necessarily about Messi and Ronaldo, but the two have one more go at it. Lionel Messi had to do everything himself last time around. On his occasion, he has a team around him, too many of the members that helped Argentina win the Copa America. Argentina finished second in qualifying only to Brazil. The other favorites were the World Cup. They have gone 36 games without a loss coming into the tournament in impeccable form. You can argue the competition that has been put in front of them during that time. It may not have been the greatest, but no doubt in its current form. Argentina has been the very best of the best. It’s not just Lionel Messi though. It is a team filled with talent and experience. Old faces such as di Maria as he remains the only player with Messi practically at every tournament. Argentina also has guys who have been important over recent years. Martinez, Rodrigo de Paul, Paredes, Papu Gomez Dybala, and perhaps others. The young talent coming into the fold as they’re only a few from Argentina’s World Cup squad that was with Lionel Messi at the previous World Cup. Young talent such as Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, Lisandro Martinez Tiago Amanda, Christian Romero, and more it. This is an Argentina side that has had incredible chemistry together and that provides little Messi. The best chance at fulfilling the prophecy from the football and gods and winning the World Cup. This doesn’t mean it will happen, and the World Cup is full of shocks with unpredictability to be taken in account.Their opponents would be Saudi Arabia. They have consistently made the World Cup, although it wasn’t a pleasant experience in the past years. Argentina once put eight goals in the back of their net during a World Cup game. In 2018, Russia beat them by five goals, and going back to 2002, Germany scored six. Saudi Arabia at the World Cup essentially has been a punching bag. However, Saudi Arabia is a country in the region of Qatar. Perhaps they could offer an element of surprise. They were imposing during qualifying. They had a reasonably tough group to get to the World Cup and managed to get through it without much difficulty. While all of their players are playing Saudi Arabia, and they don’t have one player on their World Cup squad playing in Europe, the reality is they’re comfortable at home. It did not work for Qatar, Iran, or Tunisia, but perhaps it could bode well for Saudi Arabia. Could they beat Lionel Messi and Argentina and potentially stunt the prophecy? It’s tough to say; at least, that was the perception going into the match on Tuesday. Argentina, one of the favorites, made a statement in this group with a big win against Saudi Arabia. But history could be made from the Saudis. They are on their home turf and are comfortable in these circumstances. We saw something remarkable and shocking as one of the biggest upsets, and World Cup history came to fruition as the Saudis found their legs against Argentina.

Argentina was highly expected to tee off again Saudi Arabia. Even Saudi Arabia feels more comfortable in this nation as it is in their region with a fan, support, and affair on their side. Argentina was one of the favorites to win the World Cup. This was supposed to be Lionel Messi’s tournament. A World Cup triumph Would cement his legacy and fulfill the prophecy of him becoming unarguably the greatest of all time. Argentina truly desires is Lionel Messi to take them to glory for the first time since 1986. With new faces surrounding Lionel Messi, it would be an exciting test for Argentina. Even though they had won 36 games in a row, This was a different Argentina. No Gonzalo higuain or Sergio aguero. His running mates in past years aren’t there anymore. Lionel Messi had to lead an incredibly gifted team with youngsters but still lacked that experience on the big stage. It started as well as it possibly could have in the opening minutes of Lionel Messi’s World Cup. Minutes into it, Lionel Messi would be given an opportunity from the spot. Five minutes in, a penalty was given in Argentina’s favor. Lionel Messi stepped up and delivered from the spot giving Argentina the lead. It would be the 7th World Cup goal of his career. Everything was going swimmingly for Argentina. However, Saudi Arabia had their eyes on unpredictability and history. Being able to do something that no one expected them to. They show desire and effort that can go a long way. All of the 26 players selected for Saudi Arabia’s World Cup squad. Every single one of them plays in Saudi Arabia. Not one individual is in Europe or has a big name. This is why their level of concentration and desire scream through more than anything else. Argentina shows that they’re liveliness as they continue to try to position themselves in dangerous areas. Saudi Arabia ended up playing it flawlessly. As much as Argentina came through and got into positions where they could extend the lead further, The offside trap brilliantly executed by the Saudi Arabians played a big role and a chaotic day. 22 minutes in, Papu Gomez facilitates Lionel Messi As he cuts through and stings it in the back of the net. However, on second look Saudi Arabia’s offside trap sees Lionel Messi’s goal get chopped off. The drama in the chaos of the first half only began there. Five minutes later in the 27th minute, papu Gomez facilitated the Argentine midfield again. Putting Latauro Martinez threw on go as the Inter Milan striker puts it in the back of the net to double the Argentina lead again. However, the offside trap, again brilliantly executed by Saudi Arabia, has a second goal that was taken away due to offsides. Argentina quite easily. Could have killed off the game already. The pressing defense from Saudi Arabia is proving to be a serious problem. Their positioning has been incredibly elite, leaving Argentina frustrated. This Saudi Arabian defense has already prevented two Argentina goals but imagine if they did it a third time? In the 35th minute Laturo Martinez collected from Lionel Messi before finding the back in the night again. However, the offside trap looks to be their death as Argentina has a third goal in the first half disallowed. All three of their goals that they scored that were taken away were rightfully swiped off. However, the frustration is entirely understandable. With their highly pressing defense, Saudi Arabia kept themselves within distance of a comeback in the second half if needed. The way they played the defense, allowing Argentina to play in their hands, raised the level of frustration as the game progressed. Argentina ended the first half with a lead but with continued frustration.

Most of the countries from this region have performed poorly thus far during the opening games of the World Cup. Saudi Arabia was desperately looking to be the exception. They found themselves behind against a Lionel Messi-led Argentina. However, they came out of the first half after causing three disallowed goals from Argentina. An early Argentina penalty from Lionel Messi has the South Americans in front, but Saudi Arabia still has the game in a winnable position. Argentina was doing all the right things but couldn’t contend with the outside trap that Saudi Arabia was setting. They needed to take advantage of the limited chances for Saudi Arabia to do the impossible. Argentine and may have been running circles around them, but the offside trap, as I have to mention again, is keeping them alive in a game that should be over. 3 minutes into the second half, The game was flipped on its head. In the 48th minute, Saleh Al-Shehri found it. Just enough space from the side of the box to beat. Emilio Martinez, Saudi Arabia, got a shock goal That saw them level with Argentina with plenty of time to look for a winner. The volume of opportunities from Saudi Arabia was quite small. They were doing all the right things to keep them in the game with fantastic goalkeeping and a high line by the Saudi Arabian backline. The ability to take advantage of limited opportunities was going to be the pathway to points or perhaps a potential victory. Five minutes later, we were within distance of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. In the 53rd minute, following a tremendous solo goal Salem Al-Dawsar beats Emilio Martinez for a second time for Saudi Arabia. Just like that, Saudi Arabia scores twice in 8 minutes to start the second half. All of a sudden favorite Argentina is behind and needs a comeback just to secure a point. The group is winnable even without this victory, with Poland and Mexico as the other two opponents, but Argentina found themselves in a very vulnerable state after three disallowed goals in the first half. They now find themselves behind. Saudi Arabia did not have a shot for The rest of the second half. Argentina went with many different looks creating countless opportunities. The goalkeeping of Saudi Arabia’s blank persisted in the Argentine attack that just didn’t quit. Argentina went for it. Made many changes off the bench bringing in the resources to get themselves the equalizer forcing Saudi Arabia to hold on for dear life. Lionel Messi showed some brilliant sequences but couldn’t break down the wall. Martinez Enzo Fernandez di Maria all tried to break down Saudi Arabia, but it just couldn’t happen. It didn’t happen. Saudi Arabia, with their world-class offside trap and goalkeeping, take advantage of limited opportunities scoring on two of the three shots they took throughout the 90 minutes as they pull off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history as the Copa America holders taste defeat against Saudi Arabia in their biggest result ever at a World Cup.

Saudi Arabia pulls off the upset of the decade. They’re brilliant. Display defensively, keep them within distance, and then take advantage with a few chances. They have. The offside trap they executed in the first half was magnificent. Argentina with their three disallowed goals. The offside trap won the game for Saudi Arabia. You would have to go through the archives, but this is certainly one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. It’s even more impressive considering Saudi Arabia was a goal down after 5 minutes. It is unclear whether this changes their position or what they could do in this group. Poland didn’t look particularly spectacular, and their goalless draw against Mexico. With the momentum that they’re going to take from this historic victory winning in their region, maybe a result against Poland could see them do the impossible and make the round of 16. If Saudi Arabia manages to get out of the group, it would be one of the most unpredictable things we’ve ever seen at a World Cup. I’m not saying it’s going to happen but imagine if it did. This was supposed to be Lionel Messi’s tournament. It still might be that but it didn’t get off to the best start. However, blaming Lionel Messi and putting this defeat on him and him alone is lazy. With Argentina, especially in recent history, He’s had to do things mutually by himself. Argentina may not have been at there. Best, but you can’t dissect the 90 minutes that we saw from them and come to the conclusion that they didn’t play well. They scored three off-side goals in the first half. They were incredibly lucky in some aspects and just came up short in a critical part of the game. However, to simply put this on Lionel Messi or Argentina as a lack of effort is silly. Everyone needs to calm down. There are teams that have lost their opening game and gone on deep runs. People seem to forget Lionel Messi took this team to the World Cup final in 2014. Almost by himself. People seem to forget in the last Copa America he did everything and then some to lead his team to glory. Lionel Messi may not have had his most magnificent performance but still managed to play at an extremely high level showing his capabilities. He was the highest rated player on Argentina and only the Saudi Arabia goalkeeper and their second goal scorer ended up with a higher rating in the match then. Leo Messi. People love to see Lionel Messi fail on the big stage to try to argue the justification that Diego Maradona is superior. Anytime Argentina doesn’t win a game, He takes the blame. Some start talking about Diego Maradona and what he did with Argentina with the critical mindset that Lionel Messi is incapable of carrying Argentina when he has done it with lesser talent. Almost his entire career. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have not lit the World Cup on fire and the way we may expect from them. However, saying that Lionel Messi is incapable of carrying Argentina is ridiculous. Will people have done is they’ve taken the scoreline and tried to pin it on Messi because Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time and because of everything he’s achieved in the game anytime. Anything doesn’t go well. They want to direct the blame on the goat. Everyone needs to calm down, stop making assumptions, and break down what we saw for Argentina. Lionel Messi has a very different team in this World Cup. Then he had the majority of his career. As I mentioned before, only one player, to my knowledge, was with him in the last World Cup. Many young players are ambitious and want to make a name for themselves with others who are in their first tournament and haven’t had as much experience at the World Cup. They have the quality and the talent to win this tournament. Losing to Saudi Arabia is unacceptable. There’s no questioning that but to try to blame. Messi, for this circumstance, is beyond ridiculous. He is only played with this Argentina side with an extended. Time. On a different level, though, the Argentina manager made the mistake of not calling on. Paolo Dybala when they needed a goal. Bringing in Lisandro Martinez, a center-back from Man United when Argentina needed a way back in, was the wrong idea. This was an unacceptable result, but with that being said, there’s still no reason to panic. Poland and Mexico are their final two games of this group. Poland looked slow and unenergetic against Mexico. Meanwhile, this is the worst Mexico side, and for many years they’re a goalkeeper. Ochoa is a very average goalkeeper at club level. When he puts on the Mexico jersey, he goes to God level, looking like one of the very best goalkeepers in the world, which he clearly isn’t. But his Mexico national team performances are legendary. Argentina will have learned from their opening day experience and should have no problem beating both Poland and Mexico. Saudi Arabia, on almost home soil, caught them by surprise in a game. Argentina should never have lost, but they did score three goals in the first half. Even if someone were disallowed, It shows the quality in attack that they showed and have to their disposal. Argentina wanted to win all three of their group games, but they’re still not a huge reason to be worried about their ability to win the World Cup and go on a deep run. Mexico and Poland are both extremely winnable games, and I suspect that, following this, Argentina will rip them apart. When Argentina goes on to go very deep in this competition, The criticism that they faced from the media against Saudi Arabia will look ridiculous. Lionel Messi can still fulfill his prophecy and win the World Cup. This was ideal but it was not the end of the world. They can win their final two games and still win the group. The sky isn’t falling. They’re still plenty of reasons to believe that Argentina can still have the tournament we expect from them. In Saudi country against Saudi Arabia, they fall on their face, but they will overcome this. The best is yet to come. Saudi Arabia at home, with the support of the nation behind them, put together a brilliant performance against Argentina, pulling off one of the biggest upsets and World Cup history. Still, it is not the end for Argentina.