The 2022 FIFA World Cup has become the Lionel Messi show.
Argentina cruised to a 3-0 semifinal win over Croatia at Lusail Iconic Stadium on Tuesday, and the country’s best player shined throughout.
Playing in his final World Cup, Messi continued to add to the scoresheet. He scored from the penalty spot on Argentina’s first goal of the match and tacked on an assist in the 69th minute. With the goal, Messi moved into a tie for the Golden Boot lead in Qatar and overtook Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer.
People all across the globe knew they were witnessing history and marveled at Messi’s magic on Twitter.
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Julián Álvarez didn't let Messi take the whole spotlight for himself. The 22-year-old forward picked up a brace on Tuesday with a stellar first-half goal and a tap-in off a beautiful assist from Messi.
Fans praised Álvarez for his performance not just against Croatia, but throughout his first World Cup:
While a lot of the social media buzz was praise for Argentina’s stars, some people used Messi’s performance as an opportunity to take a shot at his most famous peer:
Argentina will find out its opponent for the 2022 World Cup Final on Wednesday when Morocco and France face off in the second semifinal. Based on fans’ insights, the winner of that match will dictate whether or not Messi earns a title in his last ever World Cup match:
