It’s happened again. For the fourth time at Qatar 2022, Lionel Messi has put Argentina in front. This time, the PSG star scored a penalty kick to open the score against Croatia in the World Cup semifinals.
The Argentine legend has extended his tally to five goals in Qatar, becoming Argentina’s all-time top scorer at World Cups with 11 goals to his name. Three of his goals in this tournament came from the penalty spot.
Julian Alvarez was struck by goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic in the box, which is why referee Daniele Orsato didn’t doubt. Messi made sure of giving his side the lead with a powerful strike that sent the fans wild.
Watch: Lionel Messi puts Argentina in front vs. Croatia with penalty goal
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Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals—and for keeping a close eye on soccer icons Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.
