Messi lights up Wembley and humbles Italy
There are signs the magic may be starting to fade but Lionel Messi proved last night he still has what it takes to sell out Wembley Stadium and keep Argentina dreaming in a World Cup year.
Messi’s sheer presence lured more than 87,000 to see his team take on Italy in London. The bulk of the fans were in Argentine blue and white and he did not disappoint, turning on the style to make the first goal and finding a mesmerising purple patch of form in the second half.
he will be 35 later this month and scored only 11 goals in a disappointing first season at Paris Saint-Germain but blamed his slow start in France on long Covid after contracting the virus at the turn of the year.
It would be foolish to write off the seven-time Ballon D’or winner (right) just yet. Not when he can still conjure such flashes of brilliance as he did against the Italians, on what could be his final appearance in London.
This was the fixture hailed as ‘Finalissima’, a prestige showdown between the champions of europe and South America for a tiny new trophy paraded before kick-off by legends of the two nations Marco Tardelli and Javier Zanetti.
For Italy, it presented the chance to begin the rebuilding process after failing to reach the World Cup finals for a second time in succession, knocked out in the play-offs by North Macedonia.
They will not be in Qatar and this game was viewed as the end of a natural cycle before boss roberto Mancini starts to build a new team with euro 2024 in mind.
The new-look Azzurri will be back in england to face Gareth Southgate’s team a week on Saturday at Molineux in the UeFA Nations League.
here at Wembley, it was farewell at the end of Giorgio Chiellini’s fabulous international career as he won his 117th and final cap at the age of 37.
Alongside Chiellini was his familiar sidekick Leonardo Bonucci as Mancini selected seven of those who started against england in last year’s final. Among them, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, hero of the shootout, who was beaten by the opening goal from Lautaro Martinez in the 28th minute. Messi was the creator, turning and wriggling clear of Giovanni Di Lorenzo before squaring for Martinez, the Inter Milan striker linked with Chelsea and Tottenham, to stab in from close range. Until then, Italy had been the better side without extending Argentina goalkeeper Martinez of Aston Villa, who saved to deny Giacomo raspadori and Andrea Belotti. Argentina’s best moments revolved around Messi, his teammates looking to get him on the ball around the penalty area. he fired a free-kick into the wall and forced a save from PSG team-mate Donnarumma before he unlocked the Italians for the first goal. The second was scored in first-half stoppage time by Angel Di Maria, who was released by Martinez and finished the move by clipping a shot past Donnarumma as he rushed from his line.
Chiellini was substituted after 45 minutes and Leonardo Spinazzola came on in the second half, his return to international football after tearing an achilles in the euros last year.
Donnarumma stood firm as Argentina pushed for a third. There were two fine saves from Di Maria, the second to beat away a fierce volley. Then three to frustrate Messi. The first would have been a vintage goal after he danced through a crowd of blue shirts in the penalty box.
Messi was firmly in the groove and created a glorious opening for Giovani Lo Celso with a cross from the right with the outside of his left foot. Spurs midfielder Lo Celso, on loan last season at Villarreal, slid the ball into the side-netting.
Paulo Dybala squeezed in Argentina’s third in stoppage time after a run from halfway by Messi.