World Cup hopes of Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are in doubt
The fates of what may be their final World Cup experiences hang in the balance as Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski enter Wednesday's match between Argentina and Poland.
The fates of what may be their final World Cup experiences hang in the balance as Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski enter Wednesday's match between Argentina and Poland. One or both of the biggest names in European club football might miss out on Qatar's knockout rounds and therefore conclude their respective careers without ever experiencing victory at the most coveted competition.
After the Albiceleste were humiliated by Saudi Arabia in their initial encounter, Messi is hoping to lead Argentina out of Group C by scoring twice in his most recent bid to follow in Diego Maradona's footsteps and win the World Cup for Argentina.
Only a victory will ensure that 35-year-old Messi's Qatar campaign goes into December as Argentina defeated Mexico 2-0 to save their campaign and move into second place, level on three points with the Saudis and one behind leaders Poland.
Fans at home and a worldwide army of Messi supporters who are eager to see him win the World Cup would be devastated by an Argentine departure.
A fitting end to one of football's best players' career would also result from this outcome, but coach Lionel Scaloni believes that such antics are unneeded.
After his side defeated Mexico to put their challenge back on track, he observed, "It's hard to make them understand that the sun will rise tomorrow, win or lose."
What counts is how you go about things.
Lewandowski's "childhood fantasy" of scoring his first World Cup goal in his sixth game of the tournament, a 2-0 victory over the Saudis, moved him to tears.
If the Poles are eliminated from the competition on Wednesday, the Barcelona forward is aware that he might not have another opportunity at this point.
The 34-year-old stated, "I know it could be my last World Cup, and I wanted to be able to claim that I've played and scored in World Cups."
Lewandowski is a better chance to get to the round of 16, since Poland will advance with a victory or a draw and, even if they lose, will only be eliminated if the Saudi Arabians defeat Mexico.
Despite the anticipated attention on the two major names, Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz said it wasn't just a battle of the attackers.
It's not only Lewandowski and Messi playing; it's not tennis, he remarked.
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